The River of Time
by scifiromance
Summary: When a strange young boy is dumped on Voyager by a temporal anomaly, will the crew be able help him when he won't even tell them who he is?  Re-edited to remove song lyrics on 3/1/2012.
1. Chapter 1

**A/n: I know what you're thinking, why is she starting a new fic when I want her to update (insert fave fic here), but this idea just came to me and I had to write it! **

The room was enveloped in darkness except for the dim, unearthly glow of her alcove in the far corner but Seven didn't care, she knew every millimetre of this room, and anyway, she didn't want to see any of the familiar objects it contained, not when once pleasant memories, now laced with grief, fought their way into her brain at every opportunity. She stared blankly down at the intricate beading of the blanket on which she sat, the one she'd been given by the Ventu girl over three years before, but couldn't focus on it, her gaze instead cruelly drawn to the holo-photo which rested between her crossed legs, her thumb caressing the image of his beaming face as she tried to imagine the feel of his warm skin. The memory brought tears rather than comfort, the salty fluid again burning her swollen eyes and splashing down onto the picture, staining the beloved image as her grief did the memory. Her gut tightened in sudden nausea and she let the picture fall as anger filled her, why did he have to die? He'd promised over and over, every time she'd jolted awake from a particularly violent Borg nightmare, that he'd never leave her, that she'd never be alone, and yet here she was.

Alone. She knew the meaning of the word, both literally and figuratively, but the last few days had given it a new dimension. She'd thought those first 73 hours immediately following the shuttle crash had been the most lonely it was possible to experience, but as least then there had been hope, slim though it was, enough to sit in sleepless vigil by his biobed, at first willing him to wake, then pleading, then murmuring her goodbyes. She'd told him that she loved him, but for the first time the words seemed inconsequential, lightweight, words could not express what he'd given her but she hoped that wherever he was he'd seen her face when she'd said it, then he'd know. He always had been able to see emotions in her metal scarred face no one else could.

Thinking of everyone else made her wince, he'd been right when he'd told her that true friends reveal themselves in the worst of times, others fall by the wayside. Tom and B'Elanna had been pillars of support, and it had been Tuvok, sick as he was, who had come to her quarters on the day of the funeral, letting her lean on him without the pressure of speaking. The Captain, her old mentor, had turned out to be one of the latter. When she'd discovered that Seven had let his devastated body follow his brain into death, she'd said that she didn't deserve to be his wife and she was letting her past with the Borg stop her from giving him his only chance. That was the only time during this whole ordeal Seven's mental state had degenerated into hysterics, screaming that if the Captain hadn't been so desperate to put a probe into that wormhole he wouldn't be dead… Seven bowed her head, ashamed of how far her outburst had gone and feeling more tears slide down her cheeks. When the Doctor had told her complete assimilation may return his bodily function, for a moment she'd been wildly, selfishly, willing to risk it, but then when push came to shove she hadn't been able to do it… Her heart twisted in pain, had she loved him as much as he deserved? Had the Captain been right, had she…killed him?

She heard the doors open but didn't raise her head, even as she saw feet move towards her and heard a voice fill her unwilling ears she remained motionless. "Seven?" A sigh echoed around the room as she didn't reply, "Seven, please talk to me, you haven't been out of this room for three days…" Icheb murmured gently, staring down at his adoptive mother with concern, love and fear. When she didn't respond, the frustration that had been building up inside him exploded, "Staying in here won't bring him back!" Still nothing. "The Commander would want you to continue to live your life Seven…" He pleaded desperately.

The response got then was sudden and unexpected, her tear stained face snapped up to meet his, her voice hoarse from disuse and grief, "How can he? He can't _want _anything, he's _dead!_" she shouted at him, crying from guilt as he winced, "I…I killed him…" She choked out.

Icheb grabbed her hands and looked at her intensely, "The shuttle crash killed him Seven, what you did for him was out of love… He never would have wanted to be assimilated, not after what it did to you, and the Doctor told you there was only a five percent chance of that restoring any level of brain activity, you had to let him go…"

"I haven't! I…I can't function without him, I don't want to live…" She began to sob before suddenly her vision blurred, her body overwhelmed with dizziness and she found herself on the floor a few seconds later, Icheb kneeling over her with a tricorder in his hand.

"You fainted, I've called the Doctor, stay still while I…" He stopped midsentence, his face frozen in shock.

Seven propped herself up impatiently, "Icheb, I don't need the Doctor, I just haven't consumed enough nutrients…" In answer Icheb handed her scan results and she read them, two weeks three days pregnant.

* * *

><p><strong>13 years later<strong>

Seven forced Astrometrics' doors closed just as a group of the flying alien invaders, Species 5680, crashed against them, creating an ominous dent in the centre of the doors. She heard them snarl in agitation and then the bang as they began to try and break through. Quickly she fused the panels together with her phaser but she knew she only had a matter of minutes to escape. "Mama? How'd they get so close? Where is everyone?" Seven twisted around at the sound of her son's voice, the twelve year old cut and bruised but otherwise uninjured as he stared at her in fear.

Seven gulped, there wasn't anyone else, not anymore, yet she drew back from telling her terrified child that piece of information. "They're probably hiding like we are Kole…"

His clear, dark eyes saw through that. "They're dead?"

Seven winced, and then nodded grimly. "I think I may have a way to fix it…" She was stopped by a fit of coughing, blood spurting out of her mouth.

Kole only then noticed the gaping hole in his mother's back. "Mama, they hit you!"

She sighed weakly, "I know love, don't worry…" She collapsed heavily onto the console, only strength of will keeping her upright. "Remember…what I told you about the temporal plain?"

Kole nodded vigorously. "That's what they use to attack us…"

"I…I found a way to harness it, create a gateway and travel back to stop all this, they attacked before I…" She gasped in pain, unable to hide it anymore.

"Can you still do it?" Kole asked desperately.

"That's what I'm doing…" She replied softly, letting all her remaining strength drain into her hands as she dialled in the commands. Suddenly a violet light Kole associated with the attacks filled the room and formed a shimmering hole in the wall. "You have to go…" Seven whispered, "I can't let you die here…"

"Me? You're coming too! I won't go without you Mother!" he shouted angrily, making Seven smile, he only ever called her mother when he was set on something.

"You must! It's too late…" She slumped to the floor as the door began to cave, this time unable to force herself back up. "Wherever you go, don't tell them…who you are…not even me…you understand?"

He knelt down beside her, cradling her head. "I know the Temporal Prime Directive Mama, I won't. Where will I go?"

"The past…" She breathed as she stared at the portal's bright light, "It's collapsing, go!" She gave him a shove forward, "I love you, my baby…"

"I love you…" Kole sobbed as he ran blindly into the portal.

It collapsed within a minute of him going through. "Help him Chakotay…" Seven whispered as her life ebbed away and the aliens broke in, swarming the room within seconds.

* * *

><p>"Have you ever thought of taking over Neelix's old haunt in the Mess Hall? I know, after eating the meal you made last night, that you'd do the job much better than Chell." Chakotay murmured in a wheedling tone near Seven's ear as she shyly kept her eyes focused on the Astrometrics console in front of her.<p>

She smiled softly, "I doubt I'd continue to find cooking a relaxing pastime if I had to cater for the whole crew rather than just you. I don't know how Neelix coped."

"I don't think we'll ever know! I hope he's not poisoning Dexa with Leola root!" he laughed, then became serious again, "For our sixth date I promise you non-replicated food, made by me this time."

"The thought makes me envy Dexa and her Leola root." Seven shot back in that dead pan tone of hers he now knew to be teasing.

He was about to reply when Seven's face paled in shock. "What is it?" he asked anxiously.

"There's a temporal anomaly forming…in this room…" Seven answered, her tone disbelieving.

Chakotay hit his comm. badge, "Chakotay to Janeway…" He was interrupted by a flash of violet light, then a tunnel, similar in looks to a wormhole, formed in the wall, spewing out a single small humanoid before disappearing. The body slid down the far wall and collapsed in a heap, but they could already see that it was a young, and visibly human, boy.

**A/n: I REALLY hope you like this! PLEASE REVIEW! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

Seven and Chakotay both stared at the boy for several silent seconds, frozen in shock. Only after a small groan left the boy's trebling semi-conscious lips and his heavy eyelids began to struggle open did Seven come to her senses, her throat tightening in pity as she quickly went towards the youngster. "Be careful Seven…" Chakotay whispered in warning, "I'll call the Doctor."

"He's just a child Chakotay…" Seven began defensively.

"A child that was just thrown out by some temporal anomaly, it could be disguised as a child." Chakotay reasoned practically as he tapped his comm. badge, "Captain, Doctor, it seems that we have a new arrival, Seven and I will bring him to Sickbay."

"I'll meet you there." The Captain replied in a tense voice laced with curiosity, "Do you need a security detachment?"

Chakotay looked askance at the boy, beaten up and skinny, who didn't even look as if he was into his teenage years quite yet. "No, I don't think so. I'll keep you updated."

"That's an order." The Captain replied before the comm. link clicked off.

Seven, having accepted the Commander's warning as sensible, now crouched in front of the boy, keeping what she considered a reasonable distance between them. The sound of the comm. conversation seemed to bring him round, his eyes opening fully to reveal a set of dark brown eyes, which at the sight of her, rather than the fear that she had come to expect from strangers, filled with intense relief and some other emotion she couldn't identify. His mouth opened in a choked gasp but quickly closed again as he saw Chakotay behind her, shock and panic propelling him stumblingly to his feet, gulping and vigorously rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand as he did so. "Don't worry, we won't harm you…" Seven said carefully, somewhat surprised to get an immediate and decisive nod in reply, though his body was still shaking, probably from shock, both physical and mental, she reasoned.

Chakotay felt his shoulders drop as he watched his exchange, if this was an alien impersonating a terrified child it was doing an excellent job of it, but in his heart he somehow knew this child was of no danger and approached him with a wary but kindly smile on his face, "She's right, you're safe here. This is the U.S.S Voyager…"

Rather than calming down, the boy forced himself against the wall until his thin shoulder blades were pressed painfully into it. "I know _that_!" he spat out in a panicked but slightly sarcastic tone, his eyes swivelling between the two adults as if he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing. "What…what year is this?" he asked in a choked voice, almost snarling in agitation when they just stared at him, "I said, what's the year? The date?"

"It's 2377…" Chakotay answered tightly. Damn it, this _was_ something to do with time travel!

"To be more precise, it's Stardate 7781.3, August 13th 2377." Seven added. Unexpectedly that earned her a small smile from the boy before her information seemed to sink in and he paled.

"2377?" he asked in a near whisper, his mind racing. How can I have gone back _this_ far? I'm not even born yet! Mama and Dad won't even get married for another year and a half… A glance at his parents' ring fingers confirmed this conclusion and Kole gulped audibly, making Chakotay frown.

"You look pretty bashed up, your shirt is all bloody, how about we take you to our Sickbay?" Chakotay asked carefully, not wanting to provoke another outburst.

Kole gave himself a cursory look over; noticing for the first time that he was covered in blood, though he knew it wasn't his… Nausea overwhelmed him as he realised it was his mother's and he felt uncontrollable tears suddenly burn in his eyes, feeling them spill over when he saw Seven peering at him in concern. Mama, can't I tell you? I know you'd help me… He put the brakes on that thought, no, she said it wasn't safe for me to tell _anyone_, not even herself, so he wouldn't. Pushing himself back upright and swallowing back his fear, he looked Chakotay straight in the eye, "I'm fine. I don't need to see the Doctor."

Chakotay's brow furrowed, how did he know it was "the Doctor" and not just "a doctor"? He spoke as if he knew the hologram. "Well, he'll be the judge of that. We can't be too careful, since we don't know who, or what, you are."

The boy's fine dark eyebrows shot up his lightly tanned forehead, "Do I look like a Kazon or some scum like that to you?" He shot his future mother a sidelong glance, half hoping that she would tell him off for using a word like "scum", as his mother always had, but she said nothing, only exchanging an unreadable look with Chakotay, who seemed both startled and amused by the boy's comment.

"Like I said, we can't be too careful." Chakotay replied firmly, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder to guide him to the doorway but the boy drew back fretfully, eyeing him uneasily before unconsciously moving closer to Seven, who shot Chakotay a confused look before heading out to Sickbay, the boy on her heels and Chakotay close behind.

"Captain, will you please stop pacing?" The Doctor asked in exasperation as he waited with her and Commander Tuvok in Sickbay for this mysterious new arrival of Chakotay's.

Janeway gave the Doctor an apologetic look, stopping her nervous pacing momentarily, "I'm sorry Doctor, its just that temporal anomalies always cause so much trouble…"

She was interrupted by Sickbay's doors swishing open to reveal Seven, Chakotay and a young human boy. "What happened?" she asked, indicating the child with an agitated swish of her arm, "Who exactly is this?"

Chakotay breathed a heavy sigh, "We don't know, he wouldn't tell us. One minute Astrometrics' scans said a temporal anomaly was forming and the next minute this fissure of sorts formed in the wall and flung him out."

The Captain frowned then knelt down beside the boy, "Well, if it was scary for us I'm sure it was worst for you hmm?" The boy just looked at her with a stoic stare and she glanced at the Doctor for backup, "Why don't you see to his wounds Doctor?"

The Doctor obligingly stepped forward, tricorder in hand but the boy shot back, almost colliding with Seven behind, his chest heaving in panic, "No! You _can't _scan me!"

"It won't hurt…" The Doctor began to explain kindly but he just shook his head vigorously.

"I know you wouldn't hurt me Doctor, but I can't let you scan me." He said resolutely.

"Now, I'm afraid you don't have a choice. If I don't know at least what you are then I don't know if you're a danger to the crew or not. I can't have that uncertainty, you understand?" The Captain told him, beginning to feel suspicious.

"I know that Captain but the Temporal Prime Directive is more important isn't it? You wouldn't want me to break that!"

Janeway's mouth dropped open. "You're…you're from the future?"

He nodded slowly, as if uncertain whether to reveal even that. "Yes…from 2393."

Everyone else's faces paled in shock, although they'd all known the back of their minds that it was the only plausible explanation.

"You live here? On Voyager?" Chakotay asked quietly.

He looked to Janeway for permission, who smiled. "Look, you don't have to tell us who you are, and I wouldn't let you, but we need to the bare minimum of information if we're going to help you, okay?" she advised gently.

He sighed deeply, echoing Chakotay's earlier sigh eerily, but of course no one noticed. "We were…under attack. Ma…" He stopped, "The person who sent me here said I wouldn't be safe I told anyone but…" He stopped again, his voice choked with emotion, "I don't know if I _can _go back, every…everyone's dead…" He wiped his eyes and fell utterly silent, visibly withdrawing into himself.

"Who attacked…" The Captain began then stopped herself, "I'm sorry, I can't ask can I?"

She turned away and began to talk to Tuvok under her breath as the Doctor once again approached the boy, "Let me treat those wounds…" He saw the boy glare at him, "I won't scan your DNA or anything, just heal the bruises, okay?"

"You did hit that wall pretty hard." Chakotay pointed out.

He nodded and finally submitted to the dermal regenerator, still silent. "What's your designation?" Seven flushed at the raised eyebrow she got from both the Doctor and Chakotay and rephrased, "Your name?"

He probably would have resisted the question from anyone else but couldn't ignore his mother. "I'm…Kole." He admitted quietly.

Chakotay smiled encouragingly at him, he could now see how traumatised the boy was, as anyone would be in this situation, let alone someone so young and if his words were to be believed, had just lost everyone he knew. "Pleased to me you Kole."

Kole bowed his head, what a situation to meet his famous father! "Me too."

Meanwhile the Captain was listening to Tuvok's concerns, "We must presume that he is still in danger, if we've developed the ability to time travel, then we must presume that his attackers can too. That is a dangerous situation. There is also the high probability of him being the future child of a pair of our current crewmembers…"

The Captain sighed, already having realising that unsettling piece of information, "Well, I can't think of another way a human child would get on this ship, can you? He practically said it was his mother who sent him here, though who in their right mind would send a ten year old into a past he isn't even born in yet I don't know!"

Tuvok nodded solemnly, "It must have been a desperate situation…"

"It was." Kole cut in sharply from his place on the biobed, glaring at the Captain, "And by the way, I'm actually _twelve_, not ten." He corrected her coolly. He'd been brought up to be respectful but Captain Janeway always brought out the insolence in him, whatever timeline he was in, especially when she criticised his mother. Before she could reply, he turned to Seven and asked, "I'm hungry, can I go to the Mess Hall soon?"

Seven looked at the Doctor, who nodded. "Of course." She replied.

"Do you want a change of clothes first?" Chakotay asked him.

Kole glanced down again at the blood stained shirt and shuddered. "Yes please."

Tuvok studied the soiled shirt where it had been thrown after Kole had departed with Seven and Chakotay. "If that blood is his, we could get his DNA from that."

"Let's trust him for now, he's right about the Temporal Prime Directive, but keep it as a last resort." The Captain answered.

**A/n: PLEASE REVIEW! :D I hope its okay! **


	3. Chapter 3

"I'm guessing you know how to work the replicators, right?" Chakotay asked Kole as they entered the Mess Hall, earning himself a strange look from Seven but he just shrugged at her, after all, sometimes the only way to cope with these situations was to make light of them.

Kole nodded, "Right, I do." Glancing at Chakotay for permission, who nodded, he bounded hurriedly off towards the wall of replicators.

"Do you want anything?" Chakotay asked Seven as he sat down at the nearest table to wait.

Seven shook her head mutely, the beds of her nails turning white as she pressed them into the table's surface, "What do you think we'll do about him?"

Chakotay sighed, "I can't say I have any idea quite yet, you're the time travel expert aren't you?"

"That's precisely why I'm worried, there are only a limited number of ways he could have got here and none of them bode well." She replied, her unease obvious.

Chakotay smiled as he saw the boy head back their way carrying a tray stacked high with food, then leaned towards her, whispering, "You don't really agree with Tuvok that he's a threat to us do you?"

Seven's shoulders stiffened in hurt, "No, I think that _he_ is the one in danger…" She stopped as Kole reached the table, staring at his food, a bowl filled to the brim with sugar coated cornflakes and a stack of four pancakes with strawberries, with disbelief. "Surely none of that has much nutritional value…"

Chakotay smiled teasingly at her, "Well, I didn't order him to get something healthy."

Kole laughed then glanced awkwardly at Seven, "I don't normally eat like this, it's just that the replicators haven't been operational at home for two months so I wanted my favourites…"

Seven flushed at his apologetic tone, embarrassed by perhaps being seen as overbearing, "I apologise for my criticism, it was inappropriate of me, especially since I am partial to pancakes also. Please enjoy your meal."

"I will." Kole answered, thinking, if only I could get Mama to let me eat whatever I want… He cut that thought off, feeling traitorous tears prick at his eyes again and digging into his cereal to distract himself.

Noticing his discomfort, Chakotay and Seven spoke almost entirely of neutral topics, even humorous ones, and although Kole avoided speaking too much, he had realised showing all the interest he wanted to in his parents would be suspicious and instead just observed them, but one thought kept occurring in his mind, if only this was how it was at home, he, his father and mother spending time together as a family should. He found himself staring at Chakotay despite himself, he looked and acted…different from the pictures he'd seen throughout his life, different from how his imagination had portrayed him. First of all there was his height, he was taller than he'd thought he would be and the tattoo was even more striking in real life. Then there was his parents' interactions with each other, instead of being confidantes and partners in excitement like he'd always thought, their conversation was almost…mundane in content, but he could see the relaxed calm his mother exuded around him that there was a great deal between them, even in the future, when his mother's social skills had improved, she still would only let her guard down with a very limited number people and with Chakotay it fell away, just as it always had with himself.

Catching Kole staring at him, Chakotay frowned uneasily, "What's wrong? You can tell us."

Kole cringed. No I can't! He shouted mentally, but only said quietly before turning back to his food, "No, I'm fine.

A few minutes of awkward near silence later and Kole felt a light tap on his shoulder, shock paling his face when he saw who it was. "Naomi?" he croaked out in disbelief.

Her smiling face developed a frown of confusion, "How do you know my name?"

"It's a complicated situation Naomi but he's a friend." Chakotay helpfully explained.

"Oh, great! What's your name? Do you want to play kadiskot with me?"

"Um…Kole, my name's Kole…" Kole stuttered, images of a much older Naomi's body laid out in Sickbay, one of the first victims of the attacks, burning cruelly through his brain as he answered her.

"Do you want to play with me Kole? I can show you how to play, I taught Seven."

Kole smiled at her weakly, "I know…" He muttered under his breath, looking for an escape route until he remembered all the times an indulgent Naomi had played with him when he was younger. "Yeah sure, I'll play with you." He agreed, rewarded by her beaming smile as he stood up to follow her to the table.

Suddenly the sickly purple light which had haunted his nightmares filled the room and Kole saw, as the room came alive with confusion, that the wall closest to Naomi was warping and instinctively he jumped on her, shielding her with his body as the tunnel of light formed, as he knew it would, and a creature as big a medium sized dog with huge leathery wings and fang filled mouth plunged into the room, screaming in anger as the tunnel collapsed. Within an instant it's attack began, a device shaped like a blue ball was thrown through the air and sliced through a table like punching a hole through paper. Kole saw a security guard and screamed at him, "Set your phaser to kill, to multi-shot mode and aim for the belly!"

The man just stared in frozen awe at the creature but Chakotay had enough sense to seize a phaser and do as he was told, the light fragmenting into many beams but thankfully hitting it on the belly. With a cry, it crumpled to dust. "What the hell was that?" he exclaimed as Kole scrambled off a crying Naomi.

"Species…5680…" Seven whispered in reply, looking as if she was about to throw up.

As Chakotay looked to Seven for an explanation of what that meant, Kole, shaking violently but with a set, determined jaw said, "It was just a baby one… Phasers don't work on the adults. They must just be testing the portals."

"That is your enemy? Species 5680?" Seven asked with dread in her voice.

He nodded, nearly crying now, "I'm…I'm sorry… They must be tracing me…"

"It's not your fault!" Chakotay told him sharply, "Without you we wouldn't have known how to kill it…"

Kole's teeth were chattering as he replied in anguish, "If it wasn't for me you wouldn't need to know yet!"

* * *

><p>Kole lay on Chakotay's couch, trying in vain to sleep after refusing outright to return to Sickbay and instead gratefully taking up his father's offer. He suspected the Captain had ordered in so Chakotay could keep an eye on him but he didn't care, these quarters gave him a piece of the familiarity he longed for. He hadn't realised how little his mother had changed the quarters, alright so her alcove and all his stuff were missing but it was still eerily, heartbreakingly similar, there was his father's dreamcatcher he'd inherited, the photographs, the history books he'd poured over… Tears started to spill over his eyelids and soak into the cushions no, this wasn't his room, it never would be. For all he knew they could be debating throwing him into space right now… He growled in frustration, why did it have to be this way? Why did everyone have to be dead? He kicked out at the coffee table. He <em>had<em> to save them, even if he did cease to exist. He'd die at home anyway.

* * *

><p>Having reluctantly left a distraught Kole in Chakotay's quarters, Seven and Chakotay walked into the briefing room together, all the senior officers, except the Doctor who wasn't there, looked to them anxiously. The Captain got straight to the point, "What was that thing that invaded my ship today Seven?"<p>

"It was a member of Species 5680, one of the most resilient species the Borg ever came across." Seven answered lifelessly. "If they have managed to adapt their transporting technology to time travel, then we are lost."

Tom's throat tightened at the utterly hopeless tone of Seven's voice, "But you managed to kill it with a phaser, right Chakotay?"

Chakotay nodded, "Kole said it was only a young one though, the adults are apparently resistant."

The Doctor's voice suddenly echoed through the comm. system, "Captain, I have the DNA results back on the blood that was found on Kole's clothes…"

"Well? Who is he?" she prompted sharply.

Seven was aghast. "Captain, what about the Temporal Prime Directive? How can you risk a child's existence?"

"That is secondary to the safety of my ship and I want to know who it is that brought these aliens with him!" The Captain snapped, "He could be _helping _them…"

"He saved Naomi!" Chakotay pointed out hotly.

The Doctor spoke up, "It's not his blood on the clothes, it's Seven's. He came here covered in Seven's blood."

**A/n: PLEASE REVIEW! :D I've put up a new C/7 one-shot too, it's called "Love's Free Will", please read and review it too! **


	4. Chapter 4

10 years. How was it possible that ten years had passed? Seven's mind drew unhappily back from the reality of the thought, her body shivering from a sudden chill. Swallowing a sizable lump in her throat, she thought about going under the bed's fluffy duvet but knew she'd draw only memories, not comfort, from there so stayed where she was curled up on the bed, crumpling the newly made bed pointlessly, just as she was always telling Kole off for doing. She smiled at the thought of her son, at the way he'd practically bounced out of bed this morning, a very unusual event for she had it on good authority that he slept like a teenager already, although he was barely nine, so excited by the thought of presenting his Egyptian project to his class that he'd hardly said goodbye to her that morning when he'd left to go to the holographic schoolroom with his best friends, Owen Paris and Thomas Kim. She sighed, in a way it was difficult to watch him grow, but if he hadn't she'd have missed out on all the joys that had lightened her life after the overwhelming shadow that had been cast over it ten years before. Ten years, she hadn't even known him for ten years, she'd been with the Borg for longer, but it had been he that had shaped her future, her very self in fact, without even realising he was doing it. She felt her eyelashes brush damp cheeks, her mind and her senses overcome with remembered sensations, the reassuring touch of an arm around her waist, the tickle of his sleeping breath against her ear…

She opened her eyes again, letting the tears fall freely this time as she sat up and reached over to her bedside cabinet, pulling out a small deerskin drawstring bag and pouring out its contents onto the bed, running her hands over the familiar objects. She spent a few moments letting her eyes run over the holo-photo of her parents and the inactive Borg transceiver she'd secretly salvaged from the Raven long ago, remembering Chakotay's advice when she'd come to him three weeks before their wedding asking to learn his beliefs, he'd told her that she should gather meaningful things, keep them private and even if she were never granted a vision with them, she'd hopefully get comfort from them in times of trouble. Oh, there had been many times when she'd irrationally pleaded for a vision from him, but, as she pulled out the last two objects from the medicine bundle, a wedding photo and the frayed corner of a pale blue baby blanket, she knew she'd already been given a gift which was to sustain her.

"Hi Mama!" Seven sat bolt upright in bed, wiping her face hastily as she shoved the soothing objects into the bag and summoned up a sincere smile for her boy as he strode confidently into the room.

"Hi baby…" She replied softly, pausing to clear her throat as she realised that her voice was still strangled by her ageing grief, "What happened to school? You shouldn't be finished for another four hours, fifty three minutes."

Kole quickly cleared the frown of concern that had formed over his dark eyes, he knew what today was, much as his mother tried to shield him, and approached the bed with a gentle smile. "Oh, our history and literature classes got cancelled because Crewman Jamieson went into labour and she's the one who was going to judge the projects and give us the talk, her dad being an archaeologist and all…"

"She's a month early!" Seven exclaimed, "Harry must be nervous, is she alright?"

Kole frowned with uncertain anxiety, "I think so, she's in Sickbay, and she was fine with Thomas wasn't she?"

"She's a little older now honey, but the Doctor will look after her I'm sure." Seven reassured him as he climbed onto the bed beside her. "I'm sorry about your project; I know you were excited to show everyone…"

He shrugged off his disappointment. "Yeah, but it'll keep. At least with the new baby the Doctor won't have time to teach us biology."

Seven glanced at him disapprovingly, though she couldn't stop her lips from smiling, "I hope you've never revealed to the Doctor your dislike of his classes, it would hurt him."

He shook his head vigorously, "No, of course not!" he said earnestly. "Uncle Tom's arranging a basketball match instead of classes, Thomas needs a distraction and Miral and Owen are determined to beat their dad…" His voice trailed off as his eyes fell on the medicine bag and his eyes darkened momentarily with sorrow, a small sigh leaving his lips. "Mama…does that actually work? As in giving you vision quests?"

Seven sighed heavily before looking at him honestly, "I don't know if it's supposed to do that, your father always said it was primarily for memories and the comfort they offer. It works for me in that sense."

"Oh…" He mumbled in reply before impulsively putting his thin arm supportively around his mother's silently shaking shoulders. "Mama, you know that I don't mind if you're sad about him sometimes, right?"

Seven felt her eyes brim over, he had that sensitivity to others, although in a childish way, she knew would help make him a good man and for a moment she thought of resting her head on his small shoulder but instead kissed his cheek lovingly. "I know baby." She whispered before pulling back and smiling with new ease, "Would you like me to come watch your match?"

He beamed at her, their past grief forgotten in the light of the present, "Yes please Mama, then we'll definitely beat them!"

* * *

><p>Seven felt Chakotay halt beside her in the doorway to his quarters, his muscles stiffening. The Captain must have noticed too, for she spoke up loudly, "Isn't he there? You said he wouldn't hide from us."<p>

Chakotay turned back to glare at her scathingly, giving Seven the chance to see and hear what he had no doubt already noticed. Kole was thrashing around wildly on the couch, obviously in the grip of a nightmare, his skin coated with sweat and tears as whimpers of fear left his throat. Something deeper than pity took hold of her heart and squeezed it hard and before she knew it she had knelt down beside him and was shaking him awake. With a cruel slowness the nightmare let him go and for a moment his eyes were panicked and unseeing, until that is his eyes fell on her and he instantly relaxed his rapid breathing slowing. Seven found herself smiling at him, the hypothesis that had formed in the Briefing Room, that the child had hurt her in some way, now seemed ludicrous, no one had ever looked at her with eyes as trusting as that. "What happened?" Kole mumbled, cowering into the couch with the expression of a cornered animal when he saw that Chakotay and the Captain also surrounded him.

"Why…why is this covered in Seven's blood?" Chakotay said more harshly than he'd intended as he thrust out the bloody clothing clenched in his fist, the anxiety and frustration he felt over this whole situation obvious in his voice and posture.

Kole gulped violently at the sight of the blood but kept his eyes on Seven. "You…you think…I hurt you?" he asked shakily.

"No, no I don't." Seven replied honestly, making him sag in relief before his gaze travelled accusingly to Chakotay.

"But you do?" he asked bluntly.

Chakotay saw the hurt in his face and regret that he'd even posed the question pummelled his heart. "No, but I have to understand…to keep us all safe."

Kole nodded slowly but then caught sight of the Captain, his gaze filling with violent heat as grief, anger and confusion overwhelmed him, "You're a lying hypocrite!" He spat at her, "You told me you'd keep me safe _without_ interrogating me!" He shouted, beginning to explode, "You _always _tell people that they're safe and then they _die_..." He raged in anguish.

"That is not true!" The Captain cried back, horrified by this picture of herself. "I'm trying to protect my crew _now_, by learning all I can about your future…"

"You don't deserve to know, all you'll do is make it worse!" Kole howled back, making the Captain flinch and Seven decide to step up.

Turning to the Captain, she said coolly, "Do not speak to him for now Captain." Without thinking she held Kole down to the couch until his flash of temper had faded into strangled sobs of grief and stroked his face passively as she murmured shakily, "I sent you here didn't I?"

Both the Captain and Chakotay's mouths dropped open at the sudden certainty in her voice, but Kole's response immediately proved it to be well founded as he burst into tears outright and clung to her, "I'm sorry Mama, I didn't want to leave you, even if I was going to die…"

**A/n: Very, very soppy, I hope you don't mind! PLEASE REVIEW! :D I credit lisac1965's brilliant story "The Little Girl" with giving me the medicine bag idea, I hope you don't mind me using it lisac1965, all your C/7 fics are great! :D**


	5. Chapter 5

"Mama?" Janeway echoed Kole, her face practically convulsing in shock and disbelief as she stared at the sobbing child clinging to Seven as if she were a life vest. "But…But that's impossible! The Doctor said that with your implants…"

Seven breathed a brittle and impatient sigh as she gingerly patted the boy on the back to calm him, she couldn't say she was _comfortable_ holding him, even with her tiny suspicion his identity was still a shock, but she also admitted to herself that his cries stabbed at her heart more than anyone's ever had. "It seems the Doctor was, or will be incorrect Captain." She didn't dare glance behind her to read the Captain's expression and even the thought of looking at Chakotay made her blush.

The Captain frowned, looking to Chakotay for support but finding none, he looked awed, his face pale and his eyes fixed on the mother and child in front of him. "How could you possibly risk sending anyone through time?" she asked Seven through gritted teeth, "Especially a child that's not even born yet…"

To her surprise it was Chakotay who bristled and responded with cold tightness, "I'd think it would be because she wanted him to live Captain." Both he and the Captain noticed Kole's strangled cries quieten at Chakotay's words, peering at him with relief and admiration from over Seven's shoulder.

"Yes." Seven agreed shakily, now turning towards the Captain, "Unlike you, I know the…violence…" She swallowed hard and glanced empathetically down at her shaking son, "… the violence that Species 5680 are capable of. If they attacked today and I had the technology I'd sent the whole crew through time to spare them that fate so I'd definitely do it for my own child!"

"Be that as it may…" The Captain again tried to explain her position, beginning to feel ganged up on, even Chakotay wasn't helping her!"

"It's all irrelevant now anyway isn't it?" Kole muttered with a sniff, his demeanour controlled again as he gently unwound his arms from around Seven's neck and sank back against the couch, giving her a shyly apologetic look as he did so, "Sorry." He mumbled to her, earning a blank look from her.

"For what?" she answered softly, "None of this is your fault at all!"

"And it's certainly not _irrelevant_ either." Chakotay told him, unable to stop his lips twisting upwards despite the situation, if we didn't already know who he was related to, we'd have guessed when he said "irrelevant" with a straight face!

"But it must be, I don't know why I haven't faded away yet!" Kole exclaimed, glancing at Seven for support, "I should've, when you found out who I was, the timeline changed didn't it?"

"I am uncertain…" Seven began to answer cautiously, before being interrupted by the Captain.

"It must not have changed enough, time travel is very complex, that's why we don't sanction it." Janeway said coolly, "By the way, who _is _your father?"

Kole glared at her, "Make a guess." Janeway stared at him blankly and Seven and Chakotay both caught him giving them an exasperated gaze before sitting back somewhat huffily, "It's none of your business anyway."

"Meet me in Sickbay." The Captain ordered abruptly, turning on her heels and leaving the room, unable to tolerate the situation any longer.

The three left behind sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes before Chakotay bit the bullet and crouched down beside the couch to look Kole in the face. "You don't look much like your mother…" He gave Seven an affectionate glance and looked back into the boy's worried face, "I think we're past the point of worrying about the timeline and we all know your blood's going to be tested so…"

"Yes, I think I do look like you." Kole said bluntly, "I never believed people when they used to tell me that though…" He saw the shock of confirmation, then confusion, cross his father's face and smiled weakly, "I never met you, you died before I was even born."

Seven clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle a cry and a muscle jumped violently in Chakotay's face as he automatically reached out to comfort her. "What…what happened?" he whispered, resisting the tiny voice in his head that said he was tempting fate by asking.

Kole gulped hard then, "Mama didn't like to talk about it but…" He took a deep breath, "Three years from now, when you're exploring a possible wormhole, the shuttle will blow up. They transported you back but your brain was dead, Mama didn't even find out she was pregnant until after the funeral…" He felt tears prick at his eyes again and gazed at them sorrowfully as they struggled to cope with what he'd told them. "I…I don't have to tell anyone else that do I?"

"No." Seven said firmly, biting her lip to stop it shaking as Chakotay helped her to her feet and extended his hand to Kole, who took it gingerly.

"I think we can all agree on that." Chakotay murmured in a low tone, "Let's go."

* * *

><p>The Doctor stared in disbelief at his tricorder and ran it over Kole again, who sighed impatiently, "It's right Doctor, just say it."<p>

The Doctor chuckled to reveal the tension he felt and glanced at the waiting Captain with trepidation, then at the future parents, though he sensed from the way they stood protectively next to him that they already knew. "Well, he's certainly Seven's child, nanoprobes and all. As for Chakotay, well, we can tell that by looking at him…"

"Nanoprobes?" Seven choked out in horror, staring fearfully at her son as if he'd suddenly transform into a drone.

Kole patted her arm soothingly, "Don't worry Mama, I've never even had a cold."

The Captain's shrill voice nearly drowned out that little conversation though as her eyes went frantically between, the Doctor, Seven and Chakotay, "_Chakotay_?"

The couple didn't have a chance to reply as the buzz of a transporter filled the room, two males, a human and a Vulcan, suddenly appearing next to Kole's biobed. The male smiled apologetically at Janeway, "I'm sorry for the intrusion Captain Janeway, we're from the U.S.S Relativity…"

The Vulcan didn't bother with such pleasantries, "We're here to take Kolopak Amal Kotay back to his own timeline."

**A/n: PLEASE REVIEW! :D I'm sorry it's so short, but I was also writing a new C/7 fic "The Gift" today, I hope you like it too! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/n: Thanks to Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay for updating "Far from Home" last night.**

"We're here to take Kolopak Amal Kotay back to his own timeline." The Vulcan, dressed in the sleek uniform of the 29th Century timeship the U.S.S Relativity, stated unequivocally, addressing Janeway but with his cold, hardened eyes fixed on Kole, whose face had turned a sickly shade of grey before he jumped off the biobed and fled underneath the Doctor's nearby desk, almost pulling Seven with him in his panic.

Seeing his new found son's terror made Chakotay's gut tighten in anger as he glared at the two impassive officers. "Like hell you are! Everyone's dead there!"

The Vulcan didn't even bother to deny it, "That is unfortunate but it changes nothing. The boy's presence here upsets the balance and makes this timeline more susceptible to attacks by Species 8560."

Seven backed against the desk under which her child cowered, "Even if what you say is true…" The tone of her voice made her distrust of them obvious, "That doesn't mean we are willing to send him to a certain death!"

The human silenced the Vulcan with a look, he was obviously the senior of the two, and stepped closer to Seven with sympathetic but determined eyes, "I realise this is difficult…" He glanced at Chakotay, who had moved protectively to Seven's side, "…for the two of you, but that child will die either way. It was a mistake for your future self to send him here, his timeline has collapsed. It is the cruel truth that he will have to either die there or cease to exist while here." He turned to the Captain, "Captain, you must let us take him back, while he is here the temporal corridor he used will remain open, meaning that Species 8560 can attack this Voyager at any time."

The Captain sighed, forcing herself to push her shock and horror over Kole's parentage to one side for now, and turned to face the angry and frightened faces of her two crewmates, "If what they say is true then…"

"They're…liars…" Kole croaked out hoarsely from under the table.

Seven choked back a gasp of relief, "Clarify." She instructed him tersely.

"It's not your fault Mama, or mine, it's theirs!" Kole spat out, scrambling out from under the table and glaring up at the men with tear filled eyes. "If the aliens hadn't followed them from the 29th Century then none of this would've happened!"

The Captain saw guilt flash across both faces and pounced on it. "Is that true? "Did your crew's games with time condemn Voyager to destruction?"

The Vulcan sighed heavily. "The Borg's child oversimplifies a very complex situation. In the 29th Century we are at war with Species 8560, a war we've almost won. The Relativity was attempting to destroy one of their last remaining ships when it fell out of temporal warp in the child's timeline and began to attack Voyager."

"Couldn't you have helped them?" Chakotay hissed, unable to comprehend their indifference.

"We were too late to assist by the time we discovered where the aliens had ended up." The human explained with a note of sadness. "Fortunately though they were contained to Voyager and its destruction killed the remaining aliens, but with the corridor Seven of Nine created for Kole still open, they can escape here and cause the same problems."

"Why can't you just kill the aliens when they get here if you're so good at killing them in your timeline?" The Doctor asked slowly, finally braving the emotional minefield that was this conversation.

"The Temporal Council has ruled that we must not interfere any more than we absolutely have to. We certainly cannot just give you 29th Century technology four centuries too soon!" The Vulcan said vehemently, raising an eyebrow at the Doctor's holo-emitter, "We cannot allow the introduction of future technology too soon, since the incidents with Captain Braxton it is utterly forbidden."

"You've admitted this is all your fault! Are you really willing to sacrifice a child, our whole crew's future, to cover your asses?" Chakotay asked scathingly, making the men both flinch and bristle with righteous anger.

"We're protecting five hundred years of history, the right to exist for billions…" The human began angrily but stopped as the Captain placed a hand on his arm.

"Commander…" She, unlike the others had taken note of his rank, "This is a very emotive situation, and we have a lot of…difficult information to process. Please give us some time."

The human Commander glanced at Seven and Chakotay's determinedly set faces, it didn't look like their minds were going to change, but he knew the Relativity, with all that they'd done, owed them somewhat, and Captain Janeway's persuasive powers were legendary, even in the 29th Century. "We'll give you twenty four hours."

"Commander…"The Vulcan tried to intervene but he waved him off.

"Enough Lieutenant! I'm sorry Captain, but that's all I can do." The Commander said remorsefully.

Janeway had to take a deep breath to maintain her diplomatic demeanour, "I understand Commander, thank you."

The Commander sighed and tapped his comm. badge, "Relativity, two to beam up." In one bright white flash of a transporter, both he and his colleague were gone.

Janeway felt her shoulders sink in relief before turning briskly to Chakotay, "Come with me please Commander."

Chakotay looked back at Kole and Seven, who both nodded permission in exact unison, and reluctantly followed Janeway out of Sickbay.

* * *

><p>They didn't speak until they reached Janeway's ready room, Janeway because she was struggling with what she could possibly say to him, and Chakotay because he was seething with so much anger and pent up emotions that he couldn't verbalise what he was thinking or feeling. Finally, as she sank down in her chair and put her head in her hands, "Chakotay, I'm so sorry, but at least you and Seven will have twenty four hours to prepare him…"<p>

"We're not going to prepare him; we're going to find another way out of this!" Chakotay said with more confidence than he felt.

"Chakotay, he's leading those aliens right to us! Endangering the crew, children that already exist like Naomi and Tom and B'Elanna's unborn baby! I don't know how to fix that, and even if we could what would you do with him? The timeline's changed, even if you and Seven had ten other children in the new timeline…" She couldn't stop a snort of disbelief, "He'll still cease to exist eventually…"

Chakotay flinched and glared at her, "Don't be so crass Kathryn, he's still my son. Seven and I having other children…" He saw her baulk at these words, "…wouldn't change the fact that we'd sent one to die to save ourselves."

He saw agreement flicker across her face for a moment before it hardened, "It's a horrible situation but it's unavoidable…" She stopped mid sentence as he turned his back on her, "Where are you going?" she asked with more shrill possessiveness than she'd intended.

"I'm going to look for that other way." He replied shortly as the doors closed behind him.

**A/n: This chapter gave me so much trouble! I hated my first attempt so much that I deleted the whole thing and started again! PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! :D My confidence is low after such a difficult chapter. **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/n: Thanks to Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay for updating "Far from Home", it just keeps getting better and better! :D**

Chakotay felt his blood freeze in anxiety as he entered Sickbay to find only the Doctor within, bent intently over his office's console. "Where are they?" he asked tersely, horrifying fears that maybe the Relativity's Commander had changed his mind and stolen Kole away while he'd been distracted by the Captain.

The Doctor glanced up, flashing him a reassuring smile, "Seven took Kole to Astrometrics with her while she tries to find a way out of this."

Chakotay heaved a sigh of relief. "Good…" He muttered under his breath, smiling wryly at the predictability of Seven starting work on a plan without even bothering to ask the Captain as he had.

He hurriedly turned to leave but the Doctor called him back, rising from his desk, "Wait Commander…" He smiled sheepishly at Chakotay's impatient look, "How are you coping with all this?"

Chakotay sighed heavily and ran a hand over his strained face, "As well as can be expected I think, it's a shock but..." He admitted quietly then grew irritated by the Doctor's concerned and disbelieving expression, "Look Doctor, I've already explained my reasoning to the Captain, he's my son and I don't want him to have to…"

"Oh, I know all that Commander." The Doctor interrupted, "DNA doesn't lie and you and Seven both made your feelings on the situation pretty clear…"

"Yes, we did." Chakotay replied shortly, not relishing the idea of being counselled by the Doctor about this particular subject.

The Doctor, sensing his hostility, backed off a little, nodding mildly before clearing his throat, "Do you mind me asking if the name Kolopak has any significance for you? It's certainly not a name I've come across on Seven's family tree."

Chakotay reddened slightly, "It's my father's name actually, and Amal is my official given name."

The Doctor's eyebrows rose up his forehead, "Really? It sounds like your future self monopolised the name giving process a little."

Chakotay shrugged, trying not to bristle at the unspoken accusation that he would do Seven some sort of disservice. You did leave her a pregnant widow, a small voice in his head reminded him, but he shut that thought out with the pain and guilt that accompanied it, remembering that the Doctor wasn't in on that piece of future info. "Maybe, but I _know_ Seven would tell me if she didn't like something. Excuse me." He turned and walked back out of Sickbay, heading for Astrometrics, this wasn't the time to be dealing with the Doctor's jealousy issues.

* * *

><p>Seven's fingers drummed so hard into the Astrometrics console that pain burned up the nerves in her hands to join the tension headache already pounding at her skull. She allowed herself to breathe a tiny, but frustrated sigh, as she ran through the scenarios again, but to her annoyance Kole was perceptive enough to pick up on it, sighing more heavily, "Don't torture yourself Mama, if it's impossible to do anything then so be it."<p>

Seven indignantly turned to face where he was tiredly slumped against the wall, her hands on her hips. "That is not a good attitude to take. Haven't I ever told you that very few things are impossible?"

Kole's lips upturned fondly at the memory, "Only very improbable." He added.

"Yes…" Seven admitted stoically before turning back to the console, "And my future self has already proven some of what can be done." She told him determinedly.

"Okay Mama, keep trying." Kole conceded, almost laughing, his mother hadn't really changed that much in sixteen years!

"Hey." Chakotay greeted them both softly as he entered, "Have you come up with anything yet?"

Seven's shoulders stiffened, he could see she was holding back all her emotions with sheer willpower, saying nothing. Kole shakily stood up, his muscles numb with exhaustion and glanced between his mother and father before bluntly admitting, "Nope, nothing."

"Yet." Seven retorted shortly, frowning at him with pain in her eyes.

"Okay…" Chakotay stated, not wanting to get in the middle, and turned to his son, "You look dead beat, how about you go and take a rest in my quarters again while Seven works out something amazing?"

"Thanks." Kole replied, smiling at him gratefully then giving Seven a gentle, understanding pat on the arm before leaving Astrometrics.

Seven's chest heaved a sigh weighted down by unshed tears as she heard the doors shut behind him, feeling overwhelmed with guilt and fear. Suddenly she felt the warm bulk of Chakotay's arm around her shoulders as he whispered in her ear, "Try to relax, we'll come up with something."

* * *

><p>Kole robotically swallowed the last few gulps from the glass of orange juice he'd replicated as he paced around Chakotay's quarters, but the dry feeling in his mouth remained, as unshakable as the churning sensation in his gut or the unshed tears that permanently put burning pressure on the back of his eyes, but it was something to do. He shivered again and feeling weak he sat back down on the couch, tugging the thin throw around himself. It was nowhere near as soft as his mother's Ventu blanket, the one he had been wrapped in as a young child and then cuddled on his mother's lap whenever he'd been upset about something… It wasn't fair! Why did everything have to be this way, so complicated?<p>

"Kole?" He heard the whisper of his name before he became aware of the flash of the transporter illuminated the darkened room, revealing the Relativity's human Commander from a couple of hours before. His handsome face smiled kindly, "Hello Kole."

Kole drew his body up onto the couch like a cat ready to pounce. "You said I had twenty hours!"

"Yes I did, and I meant it. I'm only here to give you an option." The Commander replied calmly.

Kole glared at him sceptically, "What kind of option?"

"To come with me now." He said simply.

"I think everyone said how we felt about that earlier!" Kole snapped.

"Your parents did, I'll grant you that, but did you?" Seeing Kole's confused frown the Commander sighed sympathetically, "I know it must be gratifying for you, a relief, to know that your parents are willing to fight for you, but have you considered what it might be costing them?"

Kole blanched, "What…what do you mean?"

"Well to ensure your existence the way you are now they'd need to forgot what you've told them, and that means your father will die just like before, leaving your mother alone, do you want that?"

Kole gulped, "No…" He choked out, thinking of his mother's years of sorrow, and the father he was just beginning to know, he didn't deserve to die like that! Pushing back his shoulders and trying his best to hide his turmoil he replied, "But even if I do go with you to fix this, how do I know you won't just come back here and wipe their memories of all this? Mama told me you can do that, and that would mean Dad would die anyway."

The Commander smiled at his astuteness. "You're right, we could do that. But you have my word as a Starfleet officer that we wouldn't. Then your family could continue on for years, there may even be another version of you, we owe this ship that much after what we caused."

"Yes, you do." Kole agreed sharply, before asking suddenly, "What's your name?"

Confusion clouded the Commander's eyes, "My name?"

"I'm not taking the word of someone who won't tell me their name." Kole answered resolutely.

The man laughed at that. "I wouldn't either." He admitted, his tone growing more serious as he met Kole's eyes reaching out his hand to him, "I'm Sam, Commander Samuel Beckett."

Kole took a deep breath and grasped the hand in a handshake. "Okay Commander Beckett, I'll come with you."

* * *

><p>Seven lifted her curled fist to her forehead in frustration as another simulation failed, not even relaxing as Chakotay rubbed her back, "I can't think of what else to attempt! Whatever my future self did is utterly unknown to me…" She muttered in a choked tone.<p>

"Maybe we could ask Kole if you ever explained to him what you did, it's a long shot but…" Chakotay began to suggest but was interrupted by Seven's grateful kiss.

"Long shots as you call them are all we have left, let's go." She said as she pulled back from him and headed for the door with him close behind.

"Kole…" Chakotay began as he quietly entered his quarters, expecting to find the boy asleep but instead finding him standing beside the Relativity's Commander, "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he snarled at him, but it was Kole who answered.

"I'm sorry, it's the only way to keep you safe." He whispered in anguish.

"Let us be the judge of that…" Chakotay began to argue but the other man intervened.

"Relativity, beam us to 2393, _now_!"

"_No_!" Seven cried and seized hold of Kole, with Chakotay just behind her, grabbing Beckett in a headlock, but before they could do anything else the buzz of the transporter rang in their ears and within a moment Chakotay's quarters were empty.

**A/n: PLEASE REVIEW! :D Fans of "Quantum Leap" will see a nod to the main character in this chapter, if you haven't watched that show, its great! Its whole premise is time travel! **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/n: Helena XxX has set up a really good forum. It's a Star Trek roleplay. I'm on it and it's fun, there's still some roles available if anyone's interested.**

"Ow…" Chakotay groaned brokenly as he forced himself up onto his knees, holding his ribs protectively as his eyes scanned the darkened room. He heard the Relativity's Commander moan nearby and hissed "Where are we?"

Unexpectedly it was Seven who answered from somewhere behind him, "This is not the Relativity…" She began in confusion, then gave a small gasp as realisation hit her, "We're still in your quarters Chakotay."

Chakotay followed her gaze and began to make out familiar belongings, yet something still felt…out of place somehow. "Yeah…" He agreed slowly, "But if we didn't go anywhere, why are we injured?"

"We _did_ go somewhere, somewhere in Voyager's timeline!" Beckett snapped as he shakily stood up. "I calibrated the transporter to take _two_ people back to the moment Kole left his timeline, your interference has knocked the transporter out of sync, we could be _anywhere_!" He told them in a snarl under his breath, as if he was afraid of being overheard.

"You run a timeship! Haven't you got a tracer on you or something?" Chakotay asked incredulously.

"It will still take them several hours to find me; the past could be irreparably altered in that time!" Beckett retorted in frustration, his eyes flashing as he saw the couple still didn't see what they had done as wrong.

"We might be in the future…" Chakotay began to point out but was interrupted by a stifled cry of shock from Seven, who'd just seen Kole, splayed out unconscious over the floor.

"Kole!" Seven shook his shoulder anxiously in an attempt to rouse him but he remained lifeless. "Kole, wake up…" She pleaded softly, gently pushing back his dark hair so that she could examine the bruise blooming on his temple; he'd obviously his head during the rough landing.

Kole's eyelashes fluttered as her voice reached his ears, but almost immediately he was pulled back into unconsciousness and his dreams of a future that may never come to be…

* * *

><p>"Now that we've covered the political systems of the Federation, we'll move on to their allies. First, the Klingons…"<p>

Kole perked up at Lieutenant Harrow's words, flashing a grin at Owen Paris, who beamed back. Who cared about how the Federation elected their representatives? Voyager wasn't exactly a democracy; his mother may even have called this class irrelevant if she hadn't been so stubborn about him receiving a well-rounded education. Well, maybe learning about the Klingons would finally breathe some life into this Civic History class… His thought was unceremoniously interrupted by the familiar blare of the Red Alert alarm and the holographic classroom immediately dematerialised around them, leaving behind only the grey panels of the holodeck. The younger children began to whimper but Miral Paris crowded them around her comfortingly and addressed Lieutenant Harrow, "What should we do Lieutenant?"

"Return to your quarters and stay there until the Red Alert ends or your parents come to get you." He ordered swiftly, "Come on, everyone out! Safety first."

Owen Paris and Thomas Kim fell into Kole as they all filed out of the holodeck. "Do you want to wait it out in my quarters? Then we can at least get some fun out of this day." Owen suggested.

Kole shook his head, "No, I'm going to Astrometrics to see what's happening."

"Will it be safe in there?" Thomas asked timidly, "We're supposed to go to our quarters…"

Kole snorted. "Do you know how much Borg shielding Mama put up around Astrometrics? It's the safest place on the ship!"

"Can we come?" Owen asked, curious as to what could have caused the uproar that meant every adult in the ship was running frantically past them.

"No, Owen Martok Paris! You're going home with me and I suggest Thomas and Kole do the same…" Miral told him sharply, using her authority as the oldest in the class to the limit, but sighed in irritation as she realised Kole was already off towards Astrometrics at a run.

"What's happening Mama?" Kole asked as he ran excitedly through Astrometrics' doors.

Seven didn't look up from the console she was glaring at in disbelief, "Kole, go to your room and stay there." She ordered sharply without answering his question.

"But don't I at least get to find out what's going on?" He retorted indignantly.

Seven lost her patience and wheeled around to face him, looking so unusually worried and overwrought that Kole felt real fear prickle him for the first time. "We are under attack from an unknown entity." She stated bluntly, "I need you to stay safe in our quarters until Icheb or I come to get you."

Kole nodded vigorously, gulping hard as he did so to hold back his fear and curiosity before obeying his mother without another word and leaving Astrometrics. He was almost at his quarters when he saw them. Lieutenant Ayala ran past him at a run, shouting "Hide!" at him as he did so, firing a phaser blindly behind him. Kole stood paralysed for a second or two before a horrible flapping sound rushing up the corridor caused instinct to take over and he threw himself against a wall just as the most grotesque creature he'd ever seen flew towards Ayala, it's huge weapon, almost like a cannon, hanging from one mangled claw as it fired, hitting Ayala in the back. Kole choked back a scream as the man fell, watching in transfixed horror as the alien pounced on the barely alive man and began to drain something from him using a device which emitted violet light. Ayala's face was withering as if he were aging centuries in a few seconds, until that is phaser fire struck the alien and it backed off with an angry shriek. Kole turned around to see Icheb standing in the corridor, breathing hard and with his phaser primed.

"Come on!" He ordered Kole, dragging him away from Ayala's body.

"But…but we can't just leave him…" He whispered in disbelief.

"It's too late from him." Icheb replied sadly.

* * *

><p>"Kole! Are you alright my love?" Seven exclaimed as she entered Sickbay to find her son staring blankly at the wall.<p>

"Mama…" He choked out, immediately collapsing into her arms, breathing in her reassuring scent of lavender shampoo as he buried his tear stained face into her shoulder, "It was so…horrible…" He met her blue eyes with an intense, frightened gaze, "What _are _those things?"

"Yes Seven, what are they?" The Captain asked tersely as she approached them.

Seven sighed and released Kole from the hug to look at the Captain, though still holding his hand tightly in her cybernetic one. "The Borg know them as Species 8560, they've always posed a threat, but I've never known them to be in possession of such advanced technology…"

The Doctor breathed a heavy sigh as he joined them from his office, "I think I've would the reason for that." He held up one of their weapons, "This is built very similarly to my mobile emitter, its 29th Century technology."

Kole felt his mother tense in fear before he even heard the Captain's reply, "So they're from the _future_?"

* * *

><p>Kole gasped out a moan of pain as the images of the dream receded and the pain pounding at his head became sharp and undeniable. Forcing his eyes halfway open, he held his hand up to the lump on his head, "Khmal…" He muttered painfully, utilising his vocabulary of Klingon swear words, "What happened?" As he tried to his up he caught his parents staring at him and shrugged defensively, "I grew up with B'Elanna's kids; of course I know Klingon curses." Seven laughed in relief and Chakotay smirked at him as he helped him to his feet, "This isn't the Relativity or my timeline…" He mumbled in confusion.<p>

"No, it's not!" What were you thinking going with him?" Seven asked him angrily, returning Beckett's glare as the Commander bristled at her words.

Kole's eyes filled with hurt, "It's better for you…"

Chakotay put a hand on Seven's shoulder to stop her responding to that and said, "We'll discuss that later. Right now we need to find out where we are."

"It would be better not to interfere…" Beckett began hotly.

"Maybe you should practise what you preach." Chakotay replied coldly before walking slowly to the doorway and poking his head into the corridor, seeing Lieutenant Ayala rushing past. "Ayala, what's going on?"

"Definitely _not _my time." Kole muttered before being hurriedly hushed by Seven where they hid inside the room, remembering the image of Ayala's dead body imprinted in his mind's eye.

"Commander! I thought you were on the Bridge! I was just coming to tell you that the Borg have assimilated all of Cargo Bay 2! How many security details do you want me to post down there?"

Chakotay gulped back a sick feeling his stomach, oh no, of all the times they could've come to…

**A/n: PLEASE REVIEW! :D Thanks to Tetraforce for the advice.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/n: Thanks to TheFoundersDaughter for putting up chapter 2 of "A Natural Family" (co-written by me) and Melanie-Baker for updating "Time Frame Clash". :D**

"Commander? Commander, are you alright?" Lieutenant Ayala asked in concern when Chakotay didn't respond to his question.

Chakotay steadied himself on the doorframe of his quarters and rubbed his temples, fighting his shock about when they had ended up coming too and instead putting all his energies into trying to fool Ayala, one of his oldest friends and Maquis comrades. "Yeah…I'm fine. You were asking about security details…for the Cargo Bay?"

Ayala relaxed as he saw his First Officer's composure return, "Yes sir. We can't exactly let the Borg run rampant down there, alliance or no alliance."

Chakotay couldn't help but catch a glimpse of Seven hovering in a darkened corner of his quarters, out of sight of the doorway, and was overwhelmed by the irony of the situation to such an extent that he had to clear his throat awkwardly to disguise a brittle laugh, "I couldn't agree with you more Lieutenant. The Borg are…the most dangerous enemy we've yet to encounter…" The speed of his voice sped up ever so slightly as he thought up an excuse not to interfere, "Which is why I'm going to consult with Commander Tuvok before we do anything rash, just be on high alert, alright?"

Ayala frowned as he nodded, "Yes sir." He sighed deeply and stepped closer to Chakotay, saying in a lower tone, "I know this is hard for you Chakotay, after your experience with those freed drones a couple of months back, but the Captain trusts you and so do the crew."

Chakotay couldn't help but smile warmly at that, though the expression was tinged with guilt. "I know, thanks." Ayala gave a satisfied nod and turned away, Chakotay waiting until his back had disappeared around the corner before he jumped back inside the room, the doors sliding effortlessly shut.

Seven shot him an empathic look, "You have nothing to feel guilty about Chakotay. You already know that your past self deals with the situation exactly as Ayala suggested."

Chakotay gave her an affectionate, yet slightly incredulous, smile at her matter-of-fact tone, as if she revisited the day he had tried to kill her all the time. "I know, that's what I'm worried about." Seeing Seven and Kole's identical raised eyebrows directed at him and Beckett looking decidedly venomous, he explained, "Well, this isn't exactly the best day to warn myself about temporal disruptions, he's too overwhelmed with the double threats of Species 8472 in the one hand and the Borg in the other to possibly help us."

Seven smiled wryly, "One look at me and all your credibility would be gone."

Kole's brow wrinkled in disbelief. "Why Mama? He saved even your Borg self, didn't he? And you're a lot more trustworthy than your Borg self."

Chakotay exhaled heavily, if only it were as black and white as that! "It was a very complicated situation, one that _really _doesn't need us making it any worse…"

Beckett couldn't contain his anger any longer and abruptly exploded with rage, "_No_, it certainly does not! I can't believe you're even suggesting revealing our presence here, don't you understand the risks?" He sighed in agitation, his shoulders slumping forward as they stared at him in silence. "We are taught, by the Temporal Council, that time is like a river, if you throw a pebble in it, the ripple effect goes out in all directions. The four of us being here could have horrible consequences, the Borg could fail to defeat Species 8472, meaning that the future of the entire galaxy could be wrecked, or on a lesser note, Voyager could be assimilated or Chakotay could succeed in deploying Seven of Nine from an airlock…"

"I wouldn't class those changes as _minor_." Seven told him icily as Kole stiffened against her, his face paling as he took in Beckett's words.

"Dad tried to suck you out of an airlock?" he asked tightly.

"And I tried to assimilate Voyager." Seven pointed out calmly, a little annoyed with her future self for not explaining this to him. "We both failed, and forgave."

Kole gulped repeatedly, "God, the Doctor wasn't kidding when he used to tell me I was a miracle!"

Chakotay glared at Beckett, "What do you suggest we do? We can't just stay here for God knows how long until your ship traces us! By tonight, my younger self will come back here, and I don't think he'll take very well to being introduced to the future version of the drone he just wrestled from the grip of the Collective, and his future son with her for that matter…" He stopped mid-rant, gasping for air as fear of what they were faced with overcame him.

Beckett looked thoughtful now, if frustrated, "If we had access to Astrometrics, which we don't, I could probably locate a useable temporal fissure for us to transport through…"

"Well, we don't!" Chakotay shot back at him before noticing Seven's unsettled, evasive face and posture. "Seven? What is it? Have you thought of something?"

Her eyes flashed at him and she almost denied it before giving in, seeing no alternative. "There may not be an Astrometrics yet, but there _is_ a Cargo Bay filled with Borg technology, our "best bet" as I believe humans say, is to go there."

Chakotay felt his gut twist in apprehension, "Couldn't we use any of Voyager's systems?" He asked her desperately, "That Cargo Bay is crawling with Borg right now, including _you_."

Beckett and Seven shook their heads simultaneously. "No, only the Borg technology has anywhere near enough scope." Beckett said as he walked over to the wall console, "We should beam straight there, we can't risk being seen in the corridors…" He breathed a curse as the console bleeped angrily, blocking him out. "Doesn't this ship even have decent transporters?"

"They're locked at the moment, a precaution against the Borg." Chakotay told him tersely.

"We could use the Jeffries tubes." Kole suggested tentatively. "The route from here to Cargo Bay 2 is basically straight down."

"Good idea, but I'm not going to ask you how on Earth you know that." Chakotay replied, moving to the nearest Jeffries tube panel to open it, but Seven had already beaten him to it.

Kole shrugged and gave him a strained smile, "Kids have to find some way to entertain themselves on a small ship."

Chakotay let himself laugh a little at that as he watched Beckett disappear into the Jeffries tube, followed by Seven. As Kole started to go in ahead of him, Chakotay read his frightened face and squeezed his shoulder. "About the airlock incident, I've never been happier that I failed, okay?"

Kole gave him a gentle smile. "I know." He glanced after Beckett and Seven, "But we can't fail now, so let's go."

* * *

><p>"Seven, you'd better stay in here. I don't think your past self will help us if she sees you…" Chakotay whispered as the four of them crouched behind the panel which opened out into the Cargo Bay.<p>

"I concur." Seven murmured, "She will allow the timeline to collapse if she knows the Borg fail in any way."

Chakotay squeezed her hand silently, hearing the pain in her voice, and turned reluctantly to Beckett, "Okay, it's just the two of us then." Beckett nodded and Chakotay then gave Seven and Kole the signal to hide further back in the tube as Beckett began to open the panel. Both men jumped as the panel was wrenched violently off its hinges and they were met with the bloodless, mutilated faces of four armed drones. "I am the First Officer of this vessel." Chakotay told them with more cold control than he'd thought himself capable of, "I want to speak to Seven of Ni…"

His words froze in his mouth as a new drone appeared, coming to the front of the others and looking detachedly down at him. "You have reconsidered our modifications to our alliance Commander?" she asked confidently.

For several seconds Chakotay stared up at her, dead white skin where her golden hair should be, the blaring red laser light of her full optical implant rather than the sparkling blue iris he'd grown to love, its human partner as lifeless as tainted glass… Suddenly all his hate for the Borg and what they had done to this treasured woman boiled up in him and he remembered his past self's reactions, "No, I haven't. Voyager makes it through Borg Space in one, unassimilated, piece or you'll never get your hands on the nanoprobes." He watched their faces flicker as his words resonated around the Collective and climbed out onto his feet, Beckett following him. "Actually I have some modifications of my own to propose."

He thought he saw wariness cross her face for a millisecond, then it was gone. "Continue." She ordered.

He braced his shoulders, trying to ignore the painful twisting in his heart as he looked into her expressionless face. "We need to borrow your scanners.

"They will be useless, you cannot escape us." She stated.

Beckett stepped forward, "We need to scan for temporal fissures, so that we can return to when we're meant to be."

Seven's head inclined slightly towards a drone and it moved forward, scanning them rapidly, but it was Seven who voiced the results, "You are not in temporal sync. You are from the future."

"Yes." Chakotay admitted, "We need your help to preserve that future."

"Preservation is irrelevant." Seven stated sharply, within inches of Chakotay in a single stride. "Knowledge of the future would add to our perfection." When she saw his jaw set in denial, her hand clenched around his throat, "Inform us and we won't assimilate Voyager now.

"_Release him_!" An identical voice snarled and Chakotay felt horror and fear surge through him as the Seven he knew strode fearlessly up to her other self, her eyes fixed on the hand around his throat. "Comply!" she snapped as she felt the drones scanning her.

Slowly the other Seven released Chakotay, staring intently at her older, individual, self. "You are Borg…" She said faintly. Chakotay thought he could hear traces of confusion and fear in her tone.

"Yes." Seven agreed stiffly. "I am Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero One, an improved version of Borg."

"Impossible…" The drone Seven growled.

Seven ignored that. "This timeline is in danger from Species 8560, you must assist in returning us to the future or risk them destroying you."

Her other self stared at her, she could see the thought process of billions of drones behind the face which had once been her own. "That is not our mission, it is…irrelevant."

"The future destruction of the Collective cannot be irrelevant! Help us to correct the error!" Seven shot back, putting a Borg spin on the truth.

The drones stood immobile for a few moments, it was almost as if they had deactivated themselves, before the ripple of decision passed over their faces and drone Seven walked robotically over to a console, studying it in silence before whipping her head back around, "Direct us."

"Commander Beckett will do so." Seven replied.

As Beckett moved forward and began to dial in commands, Chakotay allowed himself to move closer to _his_ Seven. "Thank you, I think you just saved the day."

Seven winced painfully and Chakotay now saw the strain on her face from hiding her emotions to such an extent. "We have to wait. It isn't over yet."

Her words had barely registered in his ears before Chakotay felt the familiar tugging on his molecules of a transport, his mind blanking for a moment. He rubbed the static from his eyes, only to see pitch blackness around him, "Seven? Kole?" he asked fearfully, panic seeping into his heart when they didn't respond. "Beckett!" he shouted in angry desperation. Still nothing, where, when, had he ended up now?

**A/n: I hope you don't hate this chapter, it was so difficult to write. PLEASE REVIEW! :D**


	10. Chapter 10

Where am I? Chakotay thought frantically as he groped around blindly in the pitch blackness. "_Seven_!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, knowing that her enhanced ears would hear him from a great distance if she had transported with him. The air around him stayed stubbornly silent, just as it had when he'd first shouted for his companions. Something must've gone wrong… He thought; dread filling his heart until a new idea cropped up sinisterly in his brain. It had been Beckett who had directed the drone version of Seven and her Collective as they sent them through time, what if Beckett had told her to fulfil his original mission and transport Kole back to his own time? White hot anger tensed his muscles and propelled him stumblingly forward; if that conniving snake hurt either Kole or Seven he'd kill him himself… These murderous musings were abruptly halted by his right leg slamming into something hard and unyielding, sending his body crashing, face first, onto a solid, cold floor. He lay there for a few seconds, winded and confused. Just as he was about to try to stand back up he heard a familiar sound he'd never before been so especially glad to hear, the distinctive mechanical swish of starship doors. A long shaft of light spread across the floor and as Chakotay lifted his aching head to look, he saw someone in the doorway, obscured by cargo crates.

"Computer, lights!" The figure's voice barked urgently. Within a few seconds the room was fully illuminated and Chakotay realised with heady relief that he was still in the Cargo Bay, though obviously in a completely different time than when he'd left it. He was still greedily drinking in the familiar room's contents, happily noting the presence of the Borg alcoves which meant Seven was here in some way, when the voice shattered his sense of comfort and reassurance. "Intruder! State the reason for your presence on this vessel, _now_!"

Chakotay scrambled up to his full height, smiling when he saw who was in front of him. "Icheb!"

Icheb, at least a couple of years older than when he'd last seen him and wearing the blue uniform with a single gold pip of a science ensign, gaped at him momentarily. "Com…Commander Chakotay?" he asked in a disbelieving whisper, his voice raspy with shock as he immediately loosened his grip on his phaser.

Quickly concluding that he must be already dead here, Chakotay said in as steady and reassuring tone he could, "Yes Icheb, it's me. What year is this?"

Icheb seemed glad of a simple question as he tried to compose himself. "The date is Stardate 81365.2, Terran calendar 4th of March 2381."

Chakotay allowed himself a few seconds to process that information, it was certainly an improvement on where he'd last been, even if he was dead here. "Okay…" He muttered with a gulp, "I can deal with that."

"I presume you've been the victim of some sort of temporal event Commander?" Icheb asked bluntly, pale faced but otherwise perfectly controlled.

Chakotay felt a surge of gratitude for the young man's cool head, he knew most of the other crew members would've freaked out completely upon finding their supposedly dead First Officer lying in the Cargo Bay and that reaction was more than he could deal with right now. "The Relativity." He answered shortly, not wanting to overwhelm Icheb too much with more detail.

Thankfully, Icheb didn't seem to feel the need for more explanation at that moment and nodded in understanding. "I will inform the Captain." True to his word, he activated his comm. badge, "Icheb to Captain Janeway."

"Yes Icheb?" Janeway's clipped tones laconically answered.

"There has been a temporal event in Cargo Bay 2 Captain. I suggest you join me down here immediately." Icheb told her with detached calm. Only his clenched cybernetic fist betrayed any of his inner turmoil to Chakotay.

Janeway's gasp echoed through the comm. line. "I'll be right there."

A few awkward, silent minutes passed between Chakotay and Icheb before they turned to face Janeway running through the doorway, her legs buckling beneath her as she registered Chakotay undeniably in front of her. She stared up at him from her place curled up defensively on the floor, hyperventilating in shock. "Cha…Chakotay? You're…" He could see the memory of the Temporal Prime Directive flashing through her stunned eyes before she forced her mouth shut. "It…doesn't matter to you." She said painfully, the words leaving her lips almost as a groan before she twisted around to glare at Icheb. "You could've _warned_ me Ensign!" she snapped.

Before a sheepish Icheb could say a word in apology Chakotay stepped determinedly closer to Janeway. "He did the right thing Kathryn. Don't worry about the Directive, it's already been shot to pieces and I already know that I'm dead here."

Janeway's reddened eyes narrowed, "How can you _possibly _know that?" she asked tightly, shooting Icheb an accusatory glare.

Chakotay sighed heavily and ran a hand repeatedly through his hair. "It's a _very _long story. Just hear me out, please."

"Oh, I intend to." Janeway told him sharply as she pulled herself back up to her feet. "It had better be good…" She told him with the weakest of smiles as they turned together towards the doors.

"Don't worry, it is." Chakotay told her with little humour in his voice.

* * *

><p>"So, let me get this straight…" Tom began emphatically, trying to avoid looking in Chakotay's eyes as the senior officers all sat together at the Briefing Room table, still disturbed despite himself by the man's presence and extremely aware of B'Elanna suppressing sobs beside him. "Your twelve year old son, who we know as a ten day old baby, fled to your time to escape a massacre of the crew by aliens, then when the Relativity tried to take him back you and Seven took a stand and tried to go with him then after a detour into 2373, you're dumped here, alone."<p>

Chakotay sank further back into his chair. "That's pretty much it." He agreed, frowning as he thought about what Tom had said, "Kole is only ten days old here? Is Seven alright? Why isn't she here?"

Harry cleared his throat unhappily as he looked into Chakotay's worried face. "She had a difficult time, she's in Sickbay recovering, that's all…"

Chakotay couldn't stop his face from falling in disappointment, selfish though he knew the feeling was. "You haven't told her I'm here?" he asked quietly.

"No!" The Doctor spat out from where he stood standoffishly in the corner. "Don't you think seeing her resurrected husband will do her more harm than good?"

Chakotay bit back a retort; he could feel resentment rolling off the Doctor in waves and knew better than to confront him until he'd calmed down. Icheb obviously didn't agree with this method, saying quietly to the Doctor, "I doubt we can avoid telling her, I will need her help if we've to have any chance of sending him back."

The Doctor glared at him, "Fine. If you want to wreck whatever peace she has left…"

Icheb visibly bristled, "She's been much better since she had the baby; you're underestimating her strength of character…" He began defensively.

"I'm not! It's him I'm estimating, hasn't he hurt her enough?" The Doctor snapped back.

"Stop it both of you!" The Captain shouted, "He didn't mean to die Doctor, Seven of all people knows that." She looked over at Chakotay, who had fallen disturbingly silent during the confrontation. The pain etched on his face made her wince in sympathy and say quietly, "What do you want Chakotay? We really do need to get you back to your own time."

Chakotay nodded dumbly. "I…don't know Captain. I really don't." He was shocked to hear his voice cracking, he felt like all the air was being sucked from the room.

"The decision has been made." B'Elanna announced in a dead tone. Everyone turned around to see her in the doorway, everyone had been so taken in by the argument they hadn't even noticed she'd left. She took a deep breath, "I've explained the situation to Seven and she wants to see him." She stated simply.

Janeway's eyes flashed at the half Klingon woman. "It wasn't your place to make such a decision Lieutenant!"

B'Elanna met her eyes fearlessly for a moment before her gaze flickered to Tom for support then settled on Chakotay. "If I were in her position I'd want to know."

Chakotay rose slowly on wobbly legs and went to his friend, squeezing her arm gratefully, "Thank you B'Elanna."

She nodded, tears in her eyes as she looked at him. "Let's go, I'll take you to Sickbay." She glanced at Icheb, "You'd better come too Ensign."

* * *

><p>The three of them walked in a painful silence towards Sickbay, they had travelled down in the turbolift and were rapidly approaching the doors before Chakotay could bring himself to ask the question that had been killing him, "How has she been?" He swallowed hard, "Since I…"<p>

Icheb looked down, for the first time Chakotay saw unadulterated grief as well as anxiety cross his metal pitted young face. "She has had…difficulty adapting to the situation."

Chakotay winced, normally if Seven was having difficulty coping with something she hid it well, but he saw from the scene in the Briefing Room that everyone was aware, this was on a different level. "B'Elanna?" He murmured.

B'Elanna sighed heavily, "Let's just say I'm glad that she's had your child to focus on." The hopeless edge to her voice made Chakotay avoid thinking too deeply about what that sentence meant but his guilt intensified nonetheless, changing to paralysing fear as they finally reached Sickbay. Should he really be asking this of her?

B'Elanna and Icheb entered first, but left almost as soon as they'd entered, giving him a nod to usher him in. He entered, having thought he'd braced himself for what he would see, but still had to blink away tears as he saw her. She was sitting up on a biobed, tense as a tightly coiled spring but so weak looking his heart wrenched painfully. "Seven?" he whispered disbelievingly.

She breathed a choked gasp at the sound of his voice, a shudder racking her body, yet her eyes were fixed on him unwaveringly, even as she didn't respond. The sound of a baby whimpering broke the spell that locked them together and for the first time Chakotay saw the small bundle in her arms, the little dark head nuzzling into her for comfort as she soothed him. Chakotay couldn't him but stare, unable to equate this tiny, perfect being with the older version he knew. Suddenly he fervently wished that older Kole, the boy of quick understanding and dry wit, was here with him. _He_ would know what to say to Seven, able to give comfort just by existing, while all he seemed to bring was pain. "That's Kole?" he asked numbly, the pointless question out of his mouth before he could stop it.

A breath of strangled laughter left her. "That nickname Tom Paris gave him stuck?"

"It must've." He mumbled, unsettled by the obvious effort she had to put into appearing normal, even light-hearted, it made him feel even worse.

She nodded robotically, cuddling the baby even closer without realising it. "Icheb…Icheb said you need my assistance."

"I do." He replied thickly, self hatred washing over him in waves.

"Okay…" She mumbled, shifting on the biobed and lowering the baby into the cot at her bedside. He cried a thin wail and she immediately felt the tears she'd fought not to shed brim over her eyes.

Chakotay cringed as he read the horribly torn expression on her face. His guilt now became more than he could bear. "This was a mistake. Forgive me for asking it of you…"

He turned to leave, but her sobbing cry made him stop in his tracks. "No! No, _please_ don't leave. Let me help you." Her face was tear stained now as she pleaded and as his face wavered her inbred determination pushed her out of the biobed with only a slight wince of pain.

"You're too weak to walk! Stay here for God's sake and forget me. I'll wait for the Relativity to pick me up." Chakotay snapped fearfully.

She frowned at him. "Childbirth is painful, I'm allowed to be sore but I can still function if I need to. According to my own son, this isn't what kills me."

Chakotay almost smiled, she sounded like herself, if only for a moment. "No it's not and I'm trying to stop what does."

She bit her lip and moved ahead of him, "Come, we will go to Astrometrics."

* * *

><p>The walk to Astrometrics was a long one, conducted in silence. Seven kept herself pressed against the wall, ignoring his helping hand when she stumbled with exhaustion. She knew she wouldn't be able to bear his touch, the only way she had any control was by keeping him distant, unreal. "How did my younger self send you here?" she asked as calmly as she could.<p>

"Something about using the Borg scanners to find the fissures time travel leaves behind." Chakotay said with a helpless shrug. She nodded and he again noticed as she leaned against the console how frail she looked, underneath the superficial baby weight she looked thin and depleted. "Seven?" He breathed. He waited the few seconds it took for her to convince herself to meet his eyes, "I need you to send me forward rather than back."

"What?" Seven whispered brokenly, "To...To the future? Why?"

"To get yourself and Kole back. I don't know what Beckett's doing to them and I need to help."

"Help?" Seven echoed, "Sometimes you can't help! Don't you think I would've changed time to save you if I could have?" She was on the brink of shouting in anger, but instead began to sob viscerally.

Chakotay began to feel his own tears start to fall. "I know you would have, I know it's not fair, but this time I _do _have a chance to help. Please don't feel guilty about my dying honey…"

"Why not?" She spat back, "You feel guilty now even though dying is something you can't stop, I can see it in your face. Even if it all works out and you go back, you'll never have me after seeing me so…broken…"

He grabbed her and held her against him. "I _love_ you! No change to the timeline could change that now. For God's sake I even still loved and grieved for you when I saw you back as a drone…"

This was more than Seven could take, she collapsed against him and wept an endless stream of tears, crying out all the grief, guilt and unfairness of the last few months. "It isn't fair, I only got three years with you and now I'm only going to get ten days with our baby…" She croaked out as she finally freed himself from his arms.

"He'll exist Seven." Chakotay said confidently, although he wasn't sure where this certainty came from.

She wiped her face. "Does he look like you, when he's older?"

He smiled at her. "Everyone says so."

"Then go and get him…and me." She murmured, stepping forward into his arms to kiss him before activating the transport.

**A/n: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! :D **


	11. Chapter 11

Chakotay found himself cringing as he felt his body materialise, bracing for trouble even before he fully knew where he was. The transport had happened so suddenly that he couldn't be certain whether it had been Seven and Icheb's handiwork or some interference by the Relativity; God knows where or when they would've ended up sending him! The sigh of relief that rose up from his chest when he realised he was in one of Voyager's corridors was very short-lived; instead changing into a choked gasp of horror and revulsion when his reeling mind was finally capable of registering the devastation before him. The corridor, only dimly lit by a few plaintively flickering emergency light strips, had been savagely ripped apart. Entire Jeffries tube hatches had been torn off their hinges and discarded as if they were scraps of paper. Consoles had been gutted, with drained bio-gel packs strewn around their bases, and wiring hung haphazardly from gaping slashes in the celing which reminded him of claw marks. The lonely hiss of shorted out circuitry was the sound penetrating the otherwise oppressive silence. Chakotay didn't focus on the material destruction though; there were more than enough bodies, older versions of his crewmates, his _friends_, carelessly shoved into corners to demand all of his attention. Grief strangled rational thought into submission as he stared into the grey, pallid faces, the sickening fear of their last moments still engraved in their features, now frozen by the inescapable hands of death.

Rage at the indiscriminate cruelty of it all boiled up within his chest. Now he could truly understand why Seven had stooped to anything, even bending the rules of time, to spare Kole this death. Were the crew of the Relativity so jaded and numbed by observing this violence that they were willing to sit back and do nothing? Anger was abruptly washed away by an all-consuming fear that if Beckett's plan had worked Seven and Kole were already here… That thought was enough to free him from his shocked paralysis and he tapped his comm. badge in desperation, praying that it still worked after all this time jumping. "Seven! Kole!Can _anyone _hear me?"

A stifled cry of relief echoed back to him through the comm. line. "Chakotay! I had begun to believe we had lost you…" Seven whispered brokenly down the line.

Chakotay swallowed hard as he thought about where he'd been; he hoped he never had to tell her the full details of his encounter with her future self. "I was lost…but I found my way to you. Where are you?"

"Deck 5, section 87 Alpha." Kole answered tightly.

Chakotay glanced around frantically for a marker of where he was, the invaders had mutilated Voyager to such an extent that he couldn't tell where he was any other way. Relief flooded him when he managed to find a bulkhead with its code still visible on it. "I'm on Deck 5 too! Section 64, we'll meet halfway, okay?"

"Fine…" Seven began to reply before being interrupted by Kole.

"Dad, move as quietly as you can. Species 5680 have hyper sensitive hearing." He advised seriously. Remarkably, his young voice was only mildly tinged with fear.

"Thanks son." Chakotay muttered gratefully as he set his shoulders determinedly and began to pick his way through the debris as silently as he could.

"Chakotay!" Seven's hushed cry made him squint in the semi-darkness to see them, huddled behind the scant protection of a propped up wall panel, looking even more bedraggled than him. Seven's hair had been pulled loose and was as grey with grime and dust as the rest of her body. Kole looked even worse held against her side, his lip was bruised and bleeding and his hair appeared to have been singed somehow.

"Where's Beckett?" Chakotay asked tersely as he crouched down low to reach them.

"He never materialised with us." Seven answered, her lips pursed so tightly they were white, "We assumed he was with you."

Chakotay shook his head firmly, "If he'd been with me I would've killed him for not doing more to fix this!" he growled darkly. "How long have you been here?" Neither Seven nor Kole had a chance to answer him before he spotted the blood running in rivulets from Seven's shoulder blades, causing her to hunch over with pain. "What happened? Did the aliens…"

Seven breathed the smallest of bitter snorts, "No, if Species 5680 had found us I'd be dead not injured." She straightened her back to prove her point, almost managing to hide her wince of pain. "A sharp piece of debris fell on me, that's all."

Kole's frown deepened guiltily, "She shoved me out of the way…" His voice halted abruptly as an eerie ringing sound hit their ears. Kole's whole body stiffened as if an electric shock had been run up his spine, "They're coming." He whispered faintly.

Seven tried to make her expression as reassuring as she could, given the circumstances. "It is the Red Alert alarm, it probably just hasn't been deactivated…"

Kole shook his head stubbornly, his face a ghastly shade of white. "No, you don't understand, Auntie B'Elanna rigged up the alarms to ring whenever they get close. They don't like the sound."

"Where can we go?" Chakotay asked urgently, his tone harsh with fear.

"Astrometrics." Seven said immediately, "From there I can try to figure out what my older self was doing to combat the alien attacks.

"I…I can't go there!" Kole croaked out as Chakotay kicked in a Jefferies tube hatch so they could climb down, "Mama _died _in there…"

Seven seized his shoulders and gazed sympathetically but firmly into his face. "I'm right _here_ Kole. This is necessary for our safety, do you understand?" She waited until she saw his shaky nod before indicating to Chakotay to continue. He didn't waste any time in dragging them both into the tube's narrow confines and slamming the hatch shut; the beat of huge wings went past and an animalistic scream of anger echoed around them.

"Close shave." Chakotay breathed as they began the arduous crawl down to Deck 6 and Astrometrics.

* * *

><p>The journey was conducted in near pitch darkness, Seven guiding them through with her enhanced vision as quietly as possible. Despite attempts to minimise noise, even their panicky heavy breathing resounded in their ears, only interrupted by clattering thuds of the aliens' movements and their blood-curdling shrieks and cackles as they searched the ship for the three remaining humanoids.<p>

"We should exit here." Seven murmured as she stopped suddenly, tracing her hand around the metal interior of the tube to find the exit hatch.

Chakotay took a deep, fortifying breath, "Right, okay." He reacted quickly to pull a fast moving Kole back, "You should stay here Kole."

Kole stared back at him in disbelief, his brown eyes luminous in the dim. "You're kidding, right? I'm the only one out of the three of us that's in any way expendable…"

"You are _not_ expendable!" Seven snapped, her voice cracking with emotion as she struggled to control her emotions. "It will be easier for us for you to stay here, where you are relatively safe." She finally managed to whisper softly.

"_Nowhere_ in this hell-hole is _safe_!" Kole retorted hotly, frightened and hurt.

"Hush, both of you!" Chakotay hissed at them both before placing a comforting hand on Kole's shoulder, "Just let Seven and I decide what we're going to do in Astrometrics first before we put you in any more danger, okay?"

"But…" Kole began weakly as they started to climb out, nearly crying when they tried to smile at him before closing the hatch again.

* * *

><p>Kole wasn't sure how long they'd been gone when he first heard it: the familiar heavy thump of the wings, but it hadn't been long. He clenched his sweaty palms until his nails dug into the flesh, trying to suppress the childish urge to whimper in fear even as his heart began to race even more rapidly, to the point where he felt faint and dizzy. What if they found Seven and Chakotay and killed them? They'd killed his Mama easily, and she'd known more about what to do. Then they'd never get back to Voyager, never get married, never have <em>any<em> children, let alone him, and they'd never even get the chance to try to get back to Earth… If that happened it would all be his fault, his fault his parents died. He couldn't let that happen! His breath caught in his throat as he heard the clicks and whistles that he knew to be Species 5680's language, right outside the hatch! Straining his ears he listened intently, heard more and more of the flying monsters converge on the spot, and then turn right, the direction of Astrometrics… His decision suddenly clear and inevitable, he kicked open the hatch and ran to the right, following the path of the sound.

* * *

><p>Seven fixed her eyes on the console and viewscreen as she entered Astrometrics, sensing that she may not be able to go on if she saw her own body or anyone else's. So she delicately made her way over and began to work, her concentration only breaking when she heard Chakotay gagging behind her. "Seven, you…" He choked out breathlessly, steadying himself against the wall as his eyes unwillingly became transfixed on another Seven's bloodied and lifeless body.<p>

Careful to avoid looking down, Seven looked directly into Chakotay's troubled eyes. "I'm right here, alive. Just come and help me and don't look." She said with barely a waver in her tone.

Slowly Chakotay walked over to her, grasping her arm as he gulped back nausea. "Do you have any idea what, you… she was trying to do?"

"Basically…" Seven admitted tersely, jumping violently as she heard a crash nearby. "They're searching for us."

"Let them." Chakotay replied tightly, "By the time they do you'll have found a way to end this, just concentrate."

"Concentrate." Seven repeated under her breath as she began to study all the files at a superhuman speed and after a few minutes began to frantically dial in commands. "I think I've got it, if I just…" The screams of nearby aliens drowned out her last few words just as the doors shot open and Kole ran in, managing to force them both to the ground just as a weapon exploded and everything went white.

* * *

><p>"No Kole, don't!" Seven screamed, gasping for air in disbelief as she realised she was back on Voyager's Bridge, with the other senior officers nearby and an equally horrified Chakotay beside her.<p>

"It's okay Seven, you're back in the present now…" The Captain began to soothe the obviously terrified woman the best she could, but it had no effect.

"No, it's _not_ okay! Where's Kole? Didn't he…" She trailed off as she scanned the room in a panic.

Chakotay, who was doing the same, uttered a vicious snarl when his eyes settled on Beckett watching them "You! What the hell did you do?"

Beckett sighed. "We did nothing but beam you back to where you are supposed to be. Your son's actions resolved the problem."

"Resolved the problem?" Chakotay echoed incredulously as he heard Seven give a gasping sob of realisation. "It's all gone?" he whispered.

Beckett grimaced sadly. "All that would have been then is erased. Nothing of it is set in stone, none of the deaths…"

"None of the births…" Seven whispered numbly, her by now tear streaked face devoid of colour.

Beckett shook his head. "Species 5680 has been eliminated from all timelines, as all of us desired, but the process has been more painful than we anticipated for you. He saved you…and us."

"You'd…You'd better not forget that!" Chakotay ground out in agony.

Beckett smiled a little. "We won't." He bowed to the Captain, then Seven and Chakotay. "I am sorry, truly." He murmured thickly before disappearing in a transport, but his sincerity did not sustain Seven as her mind took its escape into unconsciousness, her body slumping forward in a dead faint as Chakotay sank to his knees beside her and wept.

**A/n: I know you all probably hate me right now, but trust me, there's one more chapter to end it happily. On that promise of a happy ending, will you PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW and tell me what you think?**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/n: Hi there, I've had writers' block on this for longer than you would believe, but I decided to knuckle down over the weekend and get back into this story. I owe a HUGE thank you to my amazing beta, xXBrightsideBumblebeeXx for basically convincing me not to delete this chapter and start again as I considered doing at one point. PLEASE REVIEW and tell me what you think! :D**

Chakotay heaved a sigh as the relative peace of meditation abandoned him once more and he felt the double weights of grief and exhaustion resettle upon him. Reluctantly, his eyelids parted, revealing the same darkened set of quarters he'd been ensconced in since the Relativity had dragged himself and Seven back to the current Voyager almost two days before. He quickly shifted his gaze back to the objects laid out in front of him, since the silent calm of his quarters struck his unsettled mind as an affront, and focused on again plunging into his subconscious, searching for answers. He clasped his prayer stone, its intricate carvings worn smooth by the anxious caresses of his ancestors, and let the sacred chants he'd heard countless times in his childhood to rise up from his chest to his mouth.

A cold chill ran up his back, causing his fragile concentration to snap as he hastily twisted around to check on the huddled figure lying on the very edge of his bed. "Seven?" he whispered brokenly, his voice hoarse from disuse. Hope flickered in his heart for a moment as the question hung in the air but, as he'd begun to expect, his address elicited neither a vocal or physical response from her. He suppressed the urge to sigh and instead turned back to his spiritual tools, but one glance at the suddenly extinguished candle sitting forlornly in front of him killed the composure a vision quest needed to succeed. What was the point? He already poured all of his energy into seeking a fragment of comfort from his father, his sprit guide, or…Kole's sprit. It seemed his people's spirituality did not provide a guide in how to heal from the effects of time travel. Resentment and frustration powered his stiff muscles as he forced the tools back into their protective bag and stood up. He was alone. That thought made guilt prickle momentarily in his heart as his eyes fell, as had become habitual, on Seven of Nine. He wasn't alone in this pain…

Seven was not asleep, far from it. She lay as tense as an animal expecting a predator, but otherwise catatonic, her unblinking stare unfocused as her mind mercilessly replayed recent events, raking over every decision she'd made which had led to Kole's death. The part of her brain dominated by Borg mantra, the only part fighting the emotional turmoil, told her that the fate of a collapsed timeline was irrelevant. Grief was unnecessary because the source of it had never, and would never, exist. Self-hatred surged through her veins like a poison, transmitting venomous thoughts to her consciousness. Why couldn't she just dismiss these destructive emotions? Why had they been put through this? Why did Kole have to die like that?

She heard Chakotay stand up and his bare feet pad towards her, as he had frequently over the past 45 hours to try to press her to speak or to ply her with fluid and nutrients which still stood on the bedside table untouched. She wasn't even sure why, or even how, she'd been brought to his quarters after her shameful bout of hysterical unconsciousness. After all, why would Chakotay want to be anywhere near someone who'd shared such a tragedy with him? She'd just woken up to find herself there, curled up defensively with her head pressed into a pillow already soaked with tears, and hadn't moved since. The bed creaked slightly beneath her as he sat down on the corner nearest her with a tense intake of breath. The silence between them was oppressive, crushing down on Seven's chest in the form of unshed tears, but she still feared and dreaded its being broken.

"Seven…" Chakotay started thickly, tentatively pressing his warm hand to her back but flinching away as she shivered. "It'll get easier…" He consoled softly as he watched her edge away from him with a heavy heart.

Seven, despite fervently wishing he'd let her be, ignore her entirely if necessary, felt her curiosity pique. "How?" she breathed, startled by how faint her own voice sounded.

Chakotay paused, as if considering how to phrase his thoughts for her benefit. "Because…it always seems to lessen…eventually."

Seven couldn't help but grit her teeth in irritation. "Grief?" she supplied for him, "I'm not sure if it applies to this situation, none of it happened! _He _didn't exist!" she spat out at him angrily, abruptly sitting up in order to read his expression.

His gaze was level, uncompromising, as he looked at her. "Saying that won't make it any easier to accept, or what you're feeling any less painful Seven." He told her firmly, "It was all real…" He swallowed hard as the violent scenes on the future Voyager jumped into his mind's eye from where they always lurked in his memory.

Seven studied his face, she'd seen the sorrow and exhaustion clouding his handsome face as a constant presence for days now, but upon seeing that resignation had replaced anger in his dark, compassionate eyes whatever had been holding back her own guilt fuelled rage shattered. "Why? Why did it have to be real? Voyager should've never been in that position! You were dead and I couldn't even save my own child let alone the ship…" She stopped as a sob caught in her throat and her weakened frame slumped forward, "We were wrong…" She whispered harshly as Chakotay's arms slid around her shuddering back.

"About what?" Chakotay asked tightly, "We were _right _to try Seven; you know we couldn't have lived with ourselves otherwise…"

Seven gave her head a resolute shake as she fought the urge to cling to him. "No. We were wrong to think it was…safe to pursue a relationship. Either one of us could die at anytime; the whole crew could be lost. It…it was selfish of my future self to bring a child into that environment…"

Chakotay forced her head upwards with his hands, emotion now flaring in his previously deadened eyes. "That's the coward's way out!" he snapped, ignoring the hurt which instantly radiated over her tearstained face. "What you're talking about is survival rather than life! Do you think Kole would be happy about you giving up?"

Seven shrank away as if he'd hit her before looking at him with questioning resentment. "Do you truly want to ensure that tragedy repeats itself Chakotay?" she asked, her voice deceptively quiet.

Chakotay was struck dumb by her words, and the silent accusations within them, but the sudden buzz of a transporter filled the painful silence between them, making them both spring to their feet to face the intruders. Their defensive stances soon fell prey to shock however as they registered the two people who stood before them.

"What..." Chakotay started, the hand that been heading from his comm. badge freezing halfway as he looked into the eyes of a young Starfleet ensign who looked so much like he had twenty years before that it was like looking in a supernatural mirror.

The young ensign smiled at him nervously. "Dad, please don't complicate things even more by getting the Captain involved in this."

Something clicked in Seven's mind at the sound of his voice. "Kole?" she whispered disbelievingly, "How is this possible?"

The other intruder, a blue eyed cadet in her late teens, smiled sheepishly as she stepped forward to explain. "Commander Beckett apparently felt he owed you both a favour."

**A/n: Obviously this isn't the last chapter, that part of my plan fell though. I hope you liked my plot twist though, please review! :D**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/n: I apologise for my lack of updates this week, I've been tired and revising for exams. Thanks to Sweetdeath04 for updating her new C/7 fic "Masks". It's brilliant! :D**

Chakotay felt outrage surge violently through him as the unknown cadet's words sank in, all of the grief and anger he'd spent days reigning in breaking free of his control. "The only thing Beckett _owes _us is the right to be left alone!" He spat out vehemently, suddenly breathless as frustrated tears leaked from his exhausted eyes. "Why should we have to sacrifice any more to clear up his messes?" He demanded as he stood up, glaring unseeingly at the two young people before him.

Startled, the girl took an involuntary step back from him, though still able to give him a pained, emphatic look. Even Kole, for the young man had not denied that was his name, appeared shocked by his reaction for a moment before managing to bring relative, resigned, calm to his features. "I know why you feel that why, hell, you _should_ feel that way…" He began with obviously sincere sympathy.

"You're right about that. You would know why if you are who you say you are…" Chakotay replied quietly, unable to keep the accusation out of his voice as he moved away.

"Chakotay…" Seven intervened, her tone soft but her eyes firm as she gripped his wrist and led him back to his former place beside her at the edge of the bed, guidance he responded to tiredly but with little resistance. She felt her own chest constrict painfully as she met the decidedly worried gazes of Kole and his companion. "How can you be here?" she whispered painfully to the older Kole, almost inaudibly. "You can't be the same…" She didn't catch his flinch of hurt as he looked unhappily down at the floor, feeling impossibly guilty. Instead Seven turned to the girl for the more pointed questions, "What do you require of us?" she asked bluntly, unconsciously rubbing soothing circles on the inside of Chakotay's wrist as she felt him stiffen beside her, "What has gone amiss with the timeline?"

The girl blushed slightly at the directness of the question, "Nothing." She replied impulsively before explaining herself as Seven's eyebrows arched disbelievingly, "We're here to make sure things work out as they're supposed to."

Kole inhaled sharply to brace himself as his parents' expressions darkened rather lifted. "You're right." He admitted to Seven suddenly, "I'm not the _same_ as the Kole you met. The events that led to his life being what it was have changed with your decisions." He sighed, peering at them entreatingly, as if searching for acceptance, "I'm a different version of him, just like you two are different from the couple who were separated by that shuttle accident, but I'm still your…"

"Still our son." Chakotay finished softly, allowing himself a small smile as he gave Seven's hand a tight squeeze. "We knew that, it was just a shock after…" He trailed off, swallowing hard before uttering a hoarsely relieved laugh, "I can't say I'm not happy to see that you still exist somewhere but…"

"Why are we here?" The girl asked for him with a weak smile as she gave an emotional Kole a comforting pat on the back.

"Precisely." Seven answered, now, like Chakotay, staring at the girl with more curiosity than before.

The girl paused, setting her shoulders and taking a strengthening breath as if preparing for a long winded speech. "The way this was explained to us was that time is lateral, it branches off constantly like tributaries from a river with every decision we make. There are always alternatives, but sometimes a person reaches a crossroads where whatever decision they make has a bigger impact on time than most others…"

Chakotay exchanged a glance with Seven, "And the two of us are at one of those big decisions?" he concluded. He supposed it was true enough, just a few minutes before he and Seven had been struggling to hold their relationship together under the crushing twin weights of grief and guilt.

The girl nodded vigorously, "That's right." She agreed, obviously relieved by their understanding.

Chakotay studied her face for a moment and couldn't stop himself from giving a short laugh. "You're our…" He stopped as he heard Seven gasp in realisation beside him, finding it adorable despite the strange situation that she instantly flushed when she inadvertently met his gaze. He indicated Kole as the girl gave an almost identical blush of discomfiture, "You're his sister?" he asked a little more gently.

Kole chuckled to himself as he gave the girl a sidelong teasing glance. "Told you they'd realise, you look too much like Mama for them not to."

"I didn't say they wouldn't guess, I said we'd better not tell them outright!" she retorted indignantly, glaring at her brother in irritation. Chakotay cleared his throat to break up the argument and the siblings were immediately reminded of their parents' presence. "Yes, he is my brother." The girl finally answered in a dignified tone, her back straightening seriously in a manner reminiscent of Seven. When they offered her no reply, a nervous smile flickered waveringly across her regular features, "I'm Cassie." She introduced herself tentatively.

"It is…a pleasure to meet you." Seven replied sincerely, although she was very nearly lost for words as she looked her other apparent future child over. Even she herself had to note a striking resemble between the two of them, minus the implants thankfully. Their facial structures and figures were very similar and their eyes and height were close to identical. In fact, the only marked differences she saw were that where her own hair was golden blonde, Cassie's was a rich brown, pulled back in a looser version of her own trademark up-do. She rubbed her forehead to clear the dazed feeling that suddenly dominated her brain, and tried to focus on the situation at hand. "You were sent to…" She groped around for the right word, "…point us in the right direction?"

Kole nodded firmly, "Yeah, the Relativity crew were a worried about what effect all that happened would have on you…" He paused sympathetically as his parents both winced. Trying to lighten the mood, he added warmly, "Apparently a good few members of your, our, family tree are pretty important to the 29th Century."

Cassie frowned at her brother and joined her parents on the edge of the bed, gently squeezing Seven's other hand, the one her father wasn't already holding for dear life. "Not that we care what they think." She murmured sheepishly, "You two need to be happy."

"She's right." Kole echoed firmly, kneeling down beside them. "We're just here to tell you that everything is going to be fine."

Chakotay's lips twitched, "Are you sure Beckett didn't just tell you to say that?"

"Who do you think we owe more loyalty to, Beckett or you?" Kole asked in the same tone, earning a small but trusting smile from his father while his mother continued to look uneasy. "Look…" He began honestly, "All we can promise you is that in the years between now and when we're from, everything goes well. We don't know beyond that…"

"You don't want to." Seven assured him quietly, giving Chakotay a grateful look as he kissed her cheek in reassurance and understanding.

"Beckett _did_ tell us that you're not going to be involved in time travel again though." Cassie told them brightly.

"Good." Chakotay and Seven said in complete unison, making their children laugh.

Suddenly, a beep echoed from Kole's comm. badge and he hurriedly returned to his feet. "We have to go, come on Cassie." When she didn't move from her parent's side, he stiffened anxiously. "Cassandra…" He began to warn tersely.

"Okay, okay." She answered reluctantly, giving her parents one last compassionate look before standing up in one fluidic movement and swiftly retuning to her older brother's side.

"We'll be fine." Chakotay found himself reassuring them as he read their worried faces, smiling at Seven, who quickly returned it.

The siblings visibly relaxed, smiling widely now as they saw signs of their parents' famous affection. "We will be too." Kole replied in a certain tone as his and Cassie's comm. badges beeped again. "See you in twenty five years or so." With that last parting comment, the buzz of a transporter carried them away as suddenly as it had brought them.

When Chakotay's vision cleared following the brightness of the transporter, his quarters were so unaltered it was almost as if their visitors had never been there. "Was that real Seven?" he asked thickly, staring at the spot where they'd last stood.

Seven gave a strained but real laugh, "After all we've been through, I can't be completely sure." She studied his face apprehensively, "I hope so." She admitted in a whisper.

Chakotay realised she was looked to him for reassurance and confirmation and quickly turned, hugging her against his side. "Oh honey, I hope so too." He pressed his face into her hair, "And if not, we'll make it true, okay?" he murmured.

Seven moved until she was sitting in his lap, her cheek to his broad chest. "I love you, I'm sorry I said all those things…" She choked out brokenly.

Chakotay hugged her even closer, until there wasn't a gap between them. "Don't apologise for that, we were both very sad. I love you too and Kole was right, we're going to be fine, okay?" It took only a split second for Seven to answer by putting an arm around his neck and pulling his face down to hers for a sweet and tender kiss.

* * *

><p><em><span>16 Years Later. San Francisco, Earth, 2393<span>_

The Golden Gate Bridge, a constant in San Francisco for generations, curved over the crystal blue waters of the Bay as always, but it was the gleam of a famous vessel's hull which would catch most visitors' eyes that day. It was still sitting pride of place in the centre of Starfleet's sprawling compound, still garnering gasps of admiration and disbelief from everyone who saw it even more than a week after its unexpected, but much longed for, return from the Delta Quadrant. The wild celebrations which had been publicised and viewed throughout the Federation had died down a little now, although in the city's main park streamers, balloons and jubilant posters were still dotted about, much to the amusement of one couple lying stretched out together under a shady tree.

The male of the pair, formerly First Officer of the aforementioned famous ship, now propped himself up on his elbows to peer affectionately at his wife's utterly contented expression. "So, how does the real thing compare to the holodeck stimulations so far?" he asked in a teasing whisper.

She cracked one blue eye reluctantly open, a relaxed sigh leaving her lips as she shifted on the cool green grass. "Favourably…" She admitted with a wry smile, "But I was never too fond of the holodecks."

He gave a resounding laugh. "Well then, I suppose Earth can only go up in your estimation?" he replied as he wrapped strong arms around her back to pull her body up towards his.

"You are certainly helping to make my first day out a pleasant one." She murmured, leaning further into his arms.

Chakotay quirked an eyebrow, "Just "pleasant_"_?" he questioned huskily.

"So far…" She answered as she pulled him into a slow, passionate kiss.

A familiar laugh, then a shout, broke their embrace. "Are they having fun?" Chakotay asked as Seven watched the scene from over his shoulder.

Seven watched as her children threw a so-called "Frisbee" into the air before sprinting wildly after it, she could even see Cassie's hair streaming out from behind her at this distance. "It would appear so." She concluded with a laugh as an indignant shout piped up from Kole. "I'm glad they are adapting so far…" She confided seriously.

"We've done the best we can to make the change as stress free as possible for them." Chakotay said before giving his wife a loving kiss, "It'll be good living here Seven, I promise."

Seven nodded firmly, stroking his face fondly. "Of course it will. I have you and the children…"

"Speaking of children…" Chakotay broke in, turning around to see one of those children smilingly clutching the Frisbee to his small chest. "Caleb son, what are you doing with that? I thought you; Kole and Cassie were all sharing it…"

The four year old pouted. "They throw it too high, I never win…" He whined in explanation.

"You won't win at all if you refuse to play." Seven reminded him pointedly, making the little boy's expression waver. "Go and take it back baby, I'll instruct them to let you play…" She told him softly, running a hand through his thick hair as he plonked down on the grass between his parents.

"Okay…" Caleb mumbled reluctantly before peering at them both hopefully, "You could come and play too!" he suggested eagerly.

Seven exchanged looks with her husband, so much for some private time… "Maybe in a little while." She answered. Caleb seemed satisfied with that and had soon run off back towards the wooded patch where he'd left his brother and sister. Seven smiled to herself, Caleb was known as their "surprise" baby, not only for the more conventional shock of finding out she was pregnant again several weeks after her fortieth birthday, when all thoughts of more children had left even her imagination, but also because he was the only one of their children they had not met in some form before they'd even been even been conceived.

Chakotay broke into her thoughts by pointing out the approach of all three of their children rapidly approaching. "Guess Caleb took "a little while" literally hon." He advised with a chuckle.

"Doesn't he always?" Kole answered as he reached them, having heard the question. "We weren't hogging the Frisbee; he just kept missing it when we threw it at him…" The twelve year old explained, shooting his younger brother an exasperated look.

"Not true!" Caleb shot back accusingly.

"It _is _true." Nine year old Cassie remarked, "That's why I wanted to play on the swings instead…"

"I'm too old for the swings." Kole muttered, "We did that when we first got here anyway!"

"Listen, how about we go and get ice cream and then make our way home for the day?" Chakotay suggested firmly.

As he'd known it would, that stopped the argument, their faces lighting up. "Ice cream!" All three shouted in unison and instantly jumped off the grass onto the pavement to make for the ice cream van.

"Where do they get all of that excess energy from?" Seven wondered aloud as they followed them at a more sedate pace, hand in hand.

"Oh, I don't know, but you're not exactly lazy." Chakotay answered, teasing about his wife's workaholic tendencies. "I wouldn't change a thing about them." He added more seriously.

Seven smiled up at him, catching his lips with hers again as she murmured, "I wouldn't change anything."

**A/n: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! :D I hope everyone likes how I ended this story! I owe a special thank you to xXBrightsideBumblebeeXx ,whose beta skills and supportiveness that got me through the most difficult chapters, and of course to my reviewers: lisac1965, Sweetdeath04, Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay, NikkiB1973, Soujiku, TheFoundersDaughter, Teal06, battlevalkyrie, Anthro79, LM2MM, UncommonSpirit, AnneMary, Kenshin C. Janeway, kanga, TetraForce, peacejaw, jojojem, Imaginone, helly318, Chris1701ab, Evenmoor and MONEBUDDHA. I really appreciate the support from you all and the subscribers and favouriters too. **


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